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NORMA Group established in Japan
Despite the economic turmoil NORMA Group has opened its technical sales and marketing company in
Japan.
This is in cooperation with its Tokyo stock listed partner - the Kuriyama Group incorporated in Osaka, Japan.
NORMA Japan will continue to develop the important sales of the NORMA Group in Japan particularly through
the existing distribution & industry partners for the brands ABA, Breeze and NORMA, as well as direct sales to
the Japanese commercial and passenger vehicle sector. NORMA Japan is incorporated in Osaka with a branch in
Tokyo.
Mecalux keeps up growth
Racking and storage solutions group Mecalux kept up its significant growth with sales rising by 6% and
profits increasing by 2%. Consolidated sales stood at 636 million euros at the end of 2008 in contrast to
598 million euros for 2007.
One of the markets which contributed most to this development was Brazil, where sales increased by 71%
in local currency. The net profit of the company reached 36 million euros, representing a rise of 2%. Mecalux
describes liquidity as excellent noting a sharp increase net equity, which increased 75% to 388 million euros.
Net debt was 27 million euros compared to 169 million euros for the previous year. The ratio of net debt
over net equity has therefore fallen by 91%, now standing at 0.07% compared to 0.76% for the 2007 fiscal
year. Meanwhile, the net debt ratio over EBITDA is 0.34% in comparison to 2.04% for the 2007 fiscal year,
representing a decrease of 83%. The EBITDA of the company now stands at 78 million euros compared to 83
million for the previous financial year.
There was an increase in share capital of 168 million euros in July 2008 with Caja Madrid taking up a 20%
holding in the company.
Ferodom sets sights on
German market
Slovakian threaded fasteners supplier Ferodom Žilina is keen to enter the German market according to
owner Jozef Dominik.
“Ferodom is not a typical logistic company,” he says. “For us it is not usual to supply tonnes of material
just in time. Such a passive relationship does not suit us. Our ambition is to focus on the technical aspects of
mechanical connections and co-operate with the customer to achieve the best solution based on a win-win
strategy.”
Justifying his plans he says, “Slovakia is not room enough. With many German companies now established
in this country it is no longer interesting for us to manufacture in accordance with finished documentation. We
would like to penetrate where the documentation originates and participate in its development.“
Initially Ferodom intends using its technical publications to establish interest. “The books ‘Technologie der
Gewindeverbindungen’ (Thread Fastening Technology) and ‘Illustriertes Schraubenwörterbuch DE–SK–EN’
(Illustrated Dictionary of Bolted Fasteners DE-SK-EN edited by TechPark) authored by ourselves will be our
ambassadors to German speaking countries,” says Josef Dominik.
Ferodom is also keen to promote new high quality threaded fastening elements that it has developed
in conjunction with UNI Žilina and in cooperation with the AP VV-20-016305 Agency. “We believe some of
these original solutions can be developed in the German market. Working with technical institutions and the
development departments of threaded fastener manufacturers we believe we can keep pace with the latest
technical developments and help to influence them. Because we are closely involved at the practical level we
are able to take these theoretical developments and put them into life.”
Huntsman releases 2008 Results
Huntsman Group reports fourth quarter 2008 revenues at US$2,048 million, (1.6 billion euros) a
decrease of 18% compared to the fourth quarter 2007 and a decrease of 25% compared to US$2,731
million (2.1 billion euros) for the third quarter 2008.
Net income for the fourth quarter of 2008 was US$598 million compared to net income of US$2 million for
the same period 2007. A net loss of US$20 million was incurred in third quarter 2008.
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