French-based industrial materials group Saint-Gobain secured additional sales of more than EUR 850 million on the back of its acquisition strategy in 2001. A trading summary at its annual general meet…
French-based industrial materials group Saint-Gobain secured additional sales of more than EUR 850 million on the back of its acquisition strategy in 2001. A trading summary at its annual general meeting on 2 April said combined sales reflected total expenditure of EUR 412 million in 2001, EUR 192 million of which was in the building materials sector. The company said sales were particularly strong in high performance plastics, while other industrial materials, including flat glass, ceramics, insulation and pipes also saw the benefits of “bolt-on” acquisitions. Its AGM statement noted that its wide geographical spread offered a buffer against the global downturn. The trading statement followed results, published 28 March, which showed operating income at EUR 2.69 billion in 2001, up 4.6% on 2000.