The PET packaging business segment of Schmalbach Lubeca AG (P0 Box 3307, D-38023 Braunschweig) nearly doubled its sales in 1994 to DM 510m (DM 265m), as total group sales rose 8% to DM 3.9bn and group operating profits improved by 39% to DM 183m. For 1995, the company expects significant growth only in a few market segments. PET was a star performer in 1994. Along with turnover added through acquisition, higher volume sales of PET deposit-bearing bottles in Germany and PET non-deposit bottles in Spain, France and UK set the pace. In Radomsko, Poland, a new plant for non-deposit PET bottles, to supply Poland and neighbouring geographical markets, was started up. An R&D centre at Dunkirk, France, is dedicated to finding new uses for PET bottles, along with developing recycling methods. A new PET deposit-bearing mineral water bottle soon to be launched in Germany is expected to increase sales in the home market.

Schmalbach-Lubeca's plastics packaging division performed below expectation last year, increasing sales only 5% to DM 381m, thanks entirely to acquisitions. A rise in raw materials prices, along with substitution as a result of the environmental discussion are blamed. Affiliates Cobelplast NV (Antwerpse Steenweg 8/10, B-9100 Lokeren) and Bebo-Plastik GmbH (P0 Box 1147, D-27421 Bremervörde) held their markets with new multi-layer film combinations and films for food jar lids. Sales of metal and plastic jar lids rose 6% to DM 734m.

READER SERVICE: Comprehensive press information and financial report on 1994 (German): PIE-No. 37335.