At an analyst conference held in London, BASF has confirmed its outlook for 2008 despite signs of weakening growth in the chemical industry. For the current year, the company has revised its expectations for growth in global chemical production from 2.8 percent to 2.4 percent. For 2008, BASF is now assuming an average oil price (Brent) of $120 per barrel and an average exchange rate of $1.55 per euro.
With 150 million Euro, the three Engel Deutschland sites have booked their highest turnover of all ages. This actually means an increase of 70% over a period of five years.
BASF`s Crop Protection division continues to grow rapidly in the expanding markets of Central and South Eastern Europe. Over the past few years, the company has launched numerous proprietary products in the region. In 2008, seven innovative products for all crop segments will be introduced.
Erema, the Austrian manufacturer of plastic recycling systems, ended its 2007/2008 fiscal year on 31 March this year, once again with record turnover figures. The figure for consolidated turnover achieved by the Erema Group, comprising Erema Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen Ges.m.b.H., Ansfelden with its subsidiaries Erema North America Inc., located in Ipswich/MA, and 3S-GmbH in Roitham, reached EUR 102.4 million for the period from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008.
Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) made a net profit of SR27 billion in 2007, an increase of 33 percent from 2006. Full-year earnings per share were SR10.81 versus SR8.12 by the end of 2006, it said in a statement.
The Biesterfeld Group looks back on the most successful year in its more than 100 years company history. In 2007 the Biesterfeld Group achieved an increase in turnover over last year of 21.2 % to ? 836.5 million. The operational result (EBITDA) even increased by 28.5 % compared with the previous year to ? 34.6 million.
Gerresheimer AG has started the financial year 2008 with an outstanding first quarter. Sales grew by 18.2% compared with the prior year period to ?239.1m (2007: ?202.3m).
The value of the global RFID market will reach $4.93m (?2.5bn) in 2008, up 7% on 2007, according to a report by consultancy firm IDTechEx. The report, RFID Forecasts, Players & Opportunities 2008-2018, attributed the increased use of RFID to large national schemes for national ID and transport. It found that the tagging of pallets and cases, as demanded by retailers, would use around 325 million RFID labels in 2008.
In 2007, the manufacturers of flexible aluminium, plastic and laminate tubes who are organised in the european tube manufacturers association (etma) broke through the 10 billion barrier of tubes produced for the first time. With a total of 10.1 billion tubes, the industry recorded growth of approximately 2 per cent. The volume of the total European market is estimated to be roughly 13 billion tubes.
The "Tandem Blow" process developed by Bekum is increasingly proving to be an engine of efficiency. This process, first unveiled at the K1998, can point to an extremely successful market penetration after almost 10 years. The success of this technology ideally complements the trend towards small drinking yoghurt bottles, such as Actimel & Co.
Just a few weeks before the International Tube and Pipe Trade Fair, Tube 2008, in Düsseldorf, another sector is reporting successful developments. In addition to the steel industry, which is currently posting one positive result after another, the German plastic tube industry is charting a course for significant growth. As Dr. Elmar Löckenhoff, Managing Director of the Kunststoffrohrverband e.V. (Plastic Tube Association), states in the preface of the KRV business report 2007, the German plastic tube industry is also benefiting from globalisation. - This is shown specifically by the opening of the Eastern European markets - he admits.
Ball Packaging Europe, the European subsidiary of Ball Corporation, announced today it plans to build a new beverage can manufacturing plant in Poland in order to meet the rapidly growing demand for beverage cans in Poland and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe.
