Clariant shifts its focus to continuous improvement
16/02/2011
In the course of the year, demand returned to normal seasonal patterns, with lighter demand during the summer months and a slowdown in industrial production towards the end of the year. Lower idle facility costs, successful price management and lower production costs resulting from the benefits of a restructuring programme the company embarked on in 2009 pushed the gross margin from 23.5% in 2009 to 27.9%.
The company said that, starting this year, its focus has now shifted to continuous improvement and profitable growth.
For 2011, Clariant expects global economic growth to continue but at a slower pace than in 2010. Exchange rates of the most important currencies are expected to remain volatile. Growth will mainly come from the emerging markets in Asia and Latin America. It expects raw material costs to increase in the high single-digit range.
The company expects 2011 sales growth in local currencies in the low single-digit range.
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