Resulting from "radical changes" in management and organisation, as well as substantial savings, Deutsche Fibrit Gesellschaft Ebers & Dr Müller mbH (HQ: St. Töniser Str. 60, D-47803 Krefeld) expects to be able to report "a small profit" for the 1994 business year. "In spite of hard competition and many difficulties in the market, we are optimistic about Fibrit's future" reported Dr Jan Müller, Chairman of the Board. As we already reported in connection with the purchase of a majority share by Gebr Happich GmbH (D-42097 Wuppertal) (see Plasteurope.com No 13, 1994), Fibrit reported losses of DM 6.7m for the first time in 1993 (profits were DM 2.2m in 1992). Turnover declined from DM 395.6m to 362.4m in 1993.

The American subsidiary, AFI, American Fibrit Inc, (Battle Creek, Michigan, USA), reported a turnover of $ 42m for 1993 ($ 31m in 1992), with a year-end profit of $ 4.7m compared to 2.7m in 1992. AFI, in which the Becker Group Inc, Warren, Michigan has had a 50% share since 1993, won the contract for manufacturing the interior cladding panels for all four of the doors in the General Motors Model "P90". The projected daily production of 1200 cars from August 1996 will result in a $ 40m turnover. The French subsidiary, Compagnie Fibrit Francaise (CFF, F-62440 Harnes) suffered a major decline in turnover to FF 133m in 1993 from 170m in 1992. Losses for 1993 were FF 7m, in comparison with profits of FF 3.2m in 1992. CFF does not expect to return to profitability in 1994.

READER SERVICE: Fibrit 1993 Annual report (German) PIE-No. 36238 – Company brochure "Cockpits": PIE-No. 31927.