Clariant Posts Increased Profitability in the Fourth Quarter
MUTTENZ, Switzerland – Specialty chemicals company Clariant announced 2012 full-year sales from continuing operations of CHF 6.038 billion compared to CHF 5.571 billion in the previous-year period. This corresponds to an increase of 8 percent in local currencies and in Swiss francs. The increase was driven by the acquisition of Süd-Chemie, while organic growth was flat, with 2 percent higher prices offsetting lower volumes.
Sales development in 2012 was heterogeneous across all regions and businesses. From a regional perspective, all regions except Europe had double-digit growth. Europe declined 2 percent, while growth dynamics in Asia-Pacific remained robust during the year. The pronounced weakness in southern Europe has spread across the continent in the second half of the year. However, with roughly two-thirds of sales generated outside of Europe, the impact of the European crisis on Clariant was offset by growth in the other regions. In the fourth quarter, no further deterioration of the business environment from third-quarter levels was observed.