HT TROPLAST
Rise in sales / Profile earnings suffer from PVC prices / Kömmerling to retain sheet
HT Troplast AG (HT, D-53839 Troisdorf; www.ht-troplast.com), European market leader in PVC profiles, increased group sales to EUR 676m (530m) in 2000. According to the company, this was due to the positive development of the “Trosifol”, “Trocellen” and “Dynos” product areas and, above all, to the acquisition of Kömmerling (D-66954 Pirmasens; www.koemmerling.de. Earnings before income tax rose from EUR 24m to EUR 28m – attributable primarily to extraordinary income.
According to HT, its Profiles division, which is the division with the highest sales, suffered from the high PVC prices, which it was unable to pass on to customers. The poor order situation in the German construction industry also continued on into the year under review, says HT. “Trocal”, KBE (D-66763 Dillingen; www.kbe-online.de) and Knipping (D-46499 Hamminkeln) felt the impact of the decline in the apartment sector in particular.
In view of the strong growth in the central and eastern European markets, management is now concentrating on jointly expanding the brands´ leading positions in this region. A facility with an initial capacity of 2,500 t/y has started up in Woskresensk, Russia. Three extrusion lines are to be added by the middle of this year. Despite the economic crisis in Russia, which has had a negative impact on the central and eastern European countries, and the resultant uncertainty, market volume clearly recovered in 2000, said Dr. Ekkehard Liefke, head of the Profiles division. “We are assuming medium-term growth of around 10% in the window market in this region,” he added.
The integration of Kömmerling is going well, according to HT. Sales targets have been met and the expected earnings even exceeded. “Comprehensive analyses” have prompted management to continue with Kömmerling´s PVC sheet business. It is hoped to “finalise the plans very shortly”.
Reader Service: Manuscript of Dr. Liefke´s speech, press information and extensive charts on the 2000 business year at HT Troplast (German): PIE-No. 45179.
According to HT, its Profiles division, which is the division with the highest sales, suffered from the high PVC prices, which it was unable to pass on to customers. The poor order situation in the German construction industry also continued on into the year under review, says HT. “Trocal”, KBE (D-66763 Dillingen; www.kbe-online.de) and Knipping (D-46499 Hamminkeln) felt the impact of the decline in the apartment sector in particular.
In view of the strong growth in the central and eastern European markets, management is now concentrating on jointly expanding the brands´ leading positions in this region. A facility with an initial capacity of 2,500 t/y has started up in Woskresensk, Russia. Three extrusion lines are to be added by the middle of this year. Despite the economic crisis in Russia, which has had a negative impact on the central and eastern European countries, and the resultant uncertainty, market volume clearly recovered in 2000, said Dr. Ekkehard Liefke, head of the Profiles division. “We are assuming medium-term growth of around 10% in the window market in this region,” he added.
The integration of Kömmerling is going well, according to HT. Sales targets have been met and the expected earnings even exceeded. “Comprehensive analyses” have prompted management to continue with Kömmerling´s PVC sheet business. It is hoped to “finalise the plans very shortly”.
Reader Service: Manuscript of Dr. Liefke´s speech, press information and extensive charts on the 2000 business year at HT Troplast (German): PIE-No. 45179.
07.06.2001 Plasteurope.com [16657]
Published on 07.06.2001