German speciality chemicals producer Lanxess (Cologne; www.lanxess.com) has said in an interim statement that it expects full year 2014 earnings (EBITDA) to be around EUR 808m before exceptional items, which is a result that is higher than previously anticipated. The company’s earnings in 2013 were EUR 735m. Lanxess said its fourth quarter operating profit expectations had increased to EUR 154m thanks to strong demand in December and had improved its earnings outlook for the full year.

Lanxess management board chairman, Matthias Zachert, said: “In autumn, we were witnessing restrained orders due to customer destocking in the rubber business in light of falling oil prices. Surprisingly, this development was considerably less strong in December”. Additionally, Lanxess profited from lower raw material costs in its Advanced Intermediates segment, it said. Earnings in the Performance Chemicals segment were as earlier forecast.

The company will publish its final results for fiscal 2014 on 19 March 2015. All figures in the interim statement are preliminary and unaudited.