Quadrant Holding AG (CH-8001 Zurich; www.quadrant.ch) plans to become an industrial holding concentrating on high-performance plastics and plastic composites. The acquisition of the Engineering Plastic Products (EPP) business of DSM (NL-6130 AA Sittard; www.dsm.nl) was recently successfully concluded (see Plasteurope.com 03, 2001). As a result, Quadrant will triple its sales in the plastics segment in the current year to more than CHF 500m.

With the completion of the EPP acquisition, Quadrant says it already has met the medium-term expansion targets announced a year ago for Symalit AG (CH-5600 Lenzburg; www.symalit.ch). Further expansion will focus on the core business and additional selected high-growth markets in the plastics processing industry. Despite this strategic focusing, Quadrant will stick to its proven conservative acquisition and financing strategy.

Despite a difficult economic environment, the Quadrant group succeded in maintaining in 2000 the high level of sales and earnings seen in 1999 following strong internal and external growth. Net income rose 5% to CHF 382.3m, while the operating result and profits, on the other hand, were down slightly, “due to the negative development of raw material prices and the exceptional expenditure for acquisition projects.” At CHF 19.7m, on the other hand, the operating cash flow (up 24%) more than doubled. Stockholders´ equity climbed 22% to CHF 107m. The equity-to-assets ratio of 58% and the low indebtedness made it possible to complete the EPP acquisition at the beginning of this year.

As part of a corporate reorganisation, Quadrant Holding has changed its name to Quadrant AG and moved its headquarters to Lenzburg, Switzerland.