Sika's turnover rises to CHF 1.2 billion

The adhesive and building chemical manufacturing company Sika has succeeded in increasing its turnover for the first three months of this year compared with the same period of 2013.
 
In fact the company's turnover rose by 15.6% compared with the first quarter of last year, with all areas in which the company trades recording growth, except one. When viewed in local currency terms, the increase is as high as 23.3%.
 
Sales in Europe, Sika's main market, rose by 27.6% and turnover in the Middle East and Africa rose to CHF 609 million, compared with CHF 478 million in the previous year, though 17.6% of this was due to acquisitions.
 
What was particularly pleasing for the company was that it was able to record a slight improvement in building activity in Europe, not least in southern Europe, too. This was no doubt due to a certain extent by the milder winter. It was the very cold period in March of 2013 which caused many building projects in Europe and North America to be postponed.
 
Two-digit rates of growth were also recorded in China and some countries of south-east Asia, with turnover increasing in this area by 9.7% to CHF 222 million.
 
On the other hand, business shrank to the tune of -2.1% in South America, with Argentina struggling with high inflation in particular.