With its companies combined in EMS-CHEMIE HOLDING AG, the EMS Group with its world-wide business activities in the fields of Performance Polymers, Fine Chemicals and Engineering increased its consolidated net sales in the first 8 months of 2000 by 8,3 % over the previous year to CHF 758 million (700 million), operational cash flow (EBITDA) by 7,8 % to CHF 173 million (161 million) and income from operations (EBIT) by 8,2 % to CHF 132 million (122 million).
Assuming an identical scope of consolidation, net sales would have risen by 9,5 % instead of 8,3 %, whereby the sole influencing factor is the 1999 sale of EMS-SYNTECH.
As expected, the development of sales and operating income in the second half of the year is less pronounced than in the first two quarters, a consequence of the base effect. The fact that income from operations did not develop at a higher rate than sales must be attributed to the ongoing surge in the prices for raw materials, which cannot be passed on in full to the market.
