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Tag: Sika

  • Sika focuses innovation strategy on sustainability

    Sika focuses innovation strategy on sustainability

    At the Capital Markets Day on October 3 in Zurich,Sika explained the company’s plans for future growth. Sustainability and the circular economy are of great importance. This was already indicated by the motto of the Capital Markets Day. It was “Unlocking growth – longevity and circular economy in construction and industry”.

    According to the globally active specialty chemicals group for construction and industry, increased requirements in terms of sustainability and the circular economy are changing the entire construction industry. “Climate change and the increasing scarcity of resources are megatrends that require sustainable, long-lasting solutions in construction,” Thomas Hasler, CEO of Sika, was quoted as saying in a press release on Capital Markets Day. Longevity brings ecological and economic benefits for both new buildings and renovation projects. “These positive aspects can be further enhanced by the use of recycled materials,” says Hasler. Sika is therefore “consistently aligning its own innovation strategy with these trends”. In addition, the Group has “a comprehensive portfolio of technologies that combine performance and sustainability”.

  • Sika sets ambitious emission reduction targets

    Sika sets ambitious emission reduction targets

    The Science Based Targets Initiative has validated Sika ‘s short and long-term emission reduction targets, the globally active speciality chemicals group for the construction and automotive industries from Baar announced in a press release. Sika aims to reduce emissions in Scopes 1, 2 and 3 by 30.4 per cent by 2032. By 2050, direct and indirect emissions should have fallen by 90 per cent. At the same time, the Group is sticking to its growth strategy.

    Sika has taken a number of measures to achieve its targets. For example, material efficiency and the circular economy are to be improved through education and skills development. Sika aims to reduce emissions along the value chain through partnerships with key suppliers, among other things. In addition, the focus is on the rapid use of alternative energy sources and the development of new technological solutions for construction and industry.

    “By actively working with our partners, suppliers and customers, we are promoting industry initiatives to mitigate climate change and open up new business opportunities,” Patricia Heidtman, Chief Innovation and Sustainability Officer at Sika, is quoted as saying in the press release. “This strengthens our conviction that we are on the right track and offer sustainable solutions that meet today’s needs without jeopardising the future.”

  • Sika wants to grow in the American mining sector

    Sika wants to grow in the American mining sector

    Sika is acquiring Thiessen Team USA, based in Elko in the US state of Nevada. With this acquisition, the Zug-based building materials manufacturer intends to grow in the American mining sector, according to a media release.

    Thiessen Team USA specialises in shotcrete and mortar solutions for the mining sector and operates two factories near large mines in the western USA. Important raw materials for the production of batteries for electric vehicles are also extracted there. Sika expects demand for these raw materials to rise due to increasing investment in electromobility.

    Furthermore, Sika also sees great potential for its own solutions due to the growing demands on the sustainability of mining. The Sika technology for the production of cement-free concrete is highlighted. It is already being used for shaft filling in the world’s largest iron ore mine in Sweden and is now to be introduced in the USA.

    “The acquisition of Thiessen supports our expansion in the exciting mining business in the US and gives Sika a greater presence in this sector throughout the Americas,” said Christoph Ganz, regional director Americas at Sika. In addition, the acquisition will “offer significant cross-selling potential”, the statement said.

  • Sika opens new plant in Eastern India

    Sika opens new plant in Eastern India

    Sika is commissioning a new plant in Kharagpur in eastern India. There, the globally active Zug-based specialty chemicals company intends to increase its production and supply capacity for eastern India, according to a media release. This is Sika’s twelfth manufacturing plant in India. Sika has been active in the Indian market for 40 years.

    The new factory is located in an industrial park with good infrastructure links and has state-of-the-art production facilities as well as offices, laboratories, storage and logistics areas. Mortar products, concrete admixtures and setting accelerators for shotcrete are manufactured there for customers in the West Bengal region with a population of more than 100 million.

    “India is a growth market for Sika with enormous potential,” Mike Campion, Regional Head Asia/Pacific, is quoted as saying in the media release. The world’s most populous country shows strong industrialisation and urbanisation trends. Sika intends to benefit from this by concentrating on large infrastructure and construction projects in the country’s ten largest metropolitan regions. “With the new plant in Kharagpur, we can efficiently serve upcoming large projects in the east and northeast, including the capital Kolkata.” Kolkata is the capital of the state of West Bengal.

    The construction sector in India is reportedly projected to grow by 6.5 per cent this year. Next year, it is expected to grow by 6.4 per cent. In addition, the central government is particularly promoting “the expansion of transport and logistics infrastructure on rail and road, with the aim of driving industrialisation in the country and increasing manufacturing capacities”.

  • Sika holds its own in a challenging environment

    Sika holds its own in a challenging environment

    In the first quarter of 2023, construction activity in the regions developed weaker than in the same period of the previous year. The causes are higher inflation, interest rate increases and the war in Ukraine. This is countered in the construction sector by the megatrend of climate change, which has heralded a paradigm shift in the industry. Solutions for lower CO2 emissions and for conserving resources in construction are increasingly in demand. Demand for industrial solutions, especially in the automotive sector, has developed positively. Sika is ideally positioned with its technologies in both markets to offer solutions that reduce customers’ carbon footprint.

    MBCC ACQUISITION ON THE TARGET STREET
    The MBCC acquisition is on the home stretch. In the first quarter of 2023, Sika signed a purchase agreement with private equity firm Cinven for parts of the MBCC admixture business. In 2022 this MBCC admixture business generated sales of approximately CHF 920 million. The acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2023. The acquisition of MBCC is significantly value-enhancing. Together with MBCC, Sika will further expand its growth platforms. Annual synergies of CHF 160-180 million are expected.

    OUTLOOK FOR 2023
    For the current businessyear Sika is confident that the strategy of sustainable and profit-oriented growth can be successfully continued even in a challenging economic environment. With innovative technologies Sika is the preferred partner of many customers in the construction and industrial sectors. These sectors are strongly influenced by the megatrend of climate change as well as by increasing automation, digitalisation and easy-to-apply products.

    For the business year 2023 Sika expects sales growth in local currencies of 6-8% as well as a disproportionately high increase in EBIT (excluding the impact of the MBCC acquisition).

  • Sika and PERI invest in Zurich construction robots

    Sika and PERI invest in Zurich construction robots

    The Zug-based building materials manufacturer Sika and the German company PERI , which specializes in formwork and scaffolding technology, are investing in Mesh AG . The start-up is behind a new robotic technology for the construction industry. This can be used to produce steel grids for different concrete shapes based on a computer model. This makes it possible to construct buildings with unusual shapes efficiently and cost-effectively. Until now, such special lattice structures had to be manufactured by hand. According to a statement from PERI, Mesh technology is the first of its kind in the world.

    The method is based on many years of research at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ( ETH ), from which Mesh was spun off. In 2018, the Zurich researchers also successfully realized a curved concrete wall in NEST, the modular research and innovation building of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Research and Testing ( Empa ) in Dübendorf ZH. In cooperation with PERI and Sika, the technology has been transferred to an industrial construction process since 2019. Mesh AG was founded only recently.

    "Through our cooperation with Mesh AG and PERI, a new type of construction method is being established on the market that enables the production of complex geometries and is more cost-effective than conventional methods," said Philippe Jost, Head Construction Sika, in the press release. The entire construction industry benefits from this.

  • Sika posts record sales

    Sika posts record sales

    Sika achieved record sales and profits in the first half of 2022, writes the globally active Zug-based building materials group in a statement . According to her, Sika’s sales increased by 18.0 percent year-on-year to a record CHF 5.25 billion. The operating result at EBIT level rose by 22.7 percent to CHF 841.9 million in the same period. At the same time, the EBIT margin reached the record value of 16.0 percent, explains Sika.

    Thomas Hasler is quoted in the statement as saying that the market conditions have also become more demanding for Sika. “Nevertheless, we were able to fully exploit the strengths of our business model and our organization in the last six months and achieve good business results,” said the CEO. Hasler lists such strengths as a high level of diversification, a global purchasing organization and innovative, sustainable and high-quality technologies.

    According to the announcement, all regions with double-digit growth rates contributed to the record sales in the reporting period. Growth was strongest in the Americas region at 39.5 percent (35.8 percent in local currencies). The region with the highest sales, EMEA, grew by 7.6 percent (12.9 percent in local currencies) to CHF 2.19 billion. At 13.2 percent in local currencies, business with the automotive industry “grew significantly faster than the market,” writes Sika.

    For the year as a whole, the Group has set itself the goal of exceeding 10 billion francs in sales for the first time. The operating result at EBIT level is to be increased disproportionately to sales.

  • Sika is ramping up production in the USA

    Sika is ramping up production in the USA

    Sika has opened a new plant for the production of concrete admixtures in Stafford, Virginia. According to a press release , the additional production capacity and in combination with the existing plant in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, will serve the strong demand in the North East and Mid-Atlantic metropolitan areas more effectively.

    Short transport routes for raw materials and end products reduce CO2 emissions and have a positive impact on operational efficiency. The performance of the new system is geared to the increasing demand from the announced infrastructure program in the amount of 200 to 250 billion Swiss francs.

    For the construction industry, the signs in North America point to growth. The infrastructure will be modernized and expanded over the next few years with investments totaling CHF 1 trillion.

  • Sika expands in Bolivia

    Sika expands in Bolivia

    According to the company , Sika has put a new production plant into operation in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Manufacturing at the new headquarters allows the production of mortar and concrete additives to be doubled compared to the previous plant. Production is automated, promotes efficiency and makes the production process more sustainable.

    Christoph Ganz, Head of the Americas Region at Sika, is quoted as saying that the investment is aimed at serving the rapidly increasing demand in the “dynamic Bolivian construction market”. According to calculations, the country’s construction market expects economic growth of 9.5 percent in 2022.

    On the way to industrialization, the South American country is dependent on sufficient infrastructure for energy supply and for industrial projects. The new location is in the largest industrial park in the country. It has good transport links and allows capacity to be expanded to meet higher demand in the future. By creating additional storage space, an administration building and a training center for customers, Sika has also prepared itself for logistical growth impulses.

  • Sika sells construction machinery business

    Sika sells construction machinery business

    The Zug-based building materials group Sika , based in Baar, has agreed to sell its company Aliva Equipment to the Finnish Normet Group Oy . Aliva is a manufacturer of machines and accessories for sprayed concrete and achieved sales of 12 million Swiss francs last year, according to a press release . Since the shotcrete machine business accounts for only a small part of the Group’s sales, Sika has decided to divest it.

    The Normet Group is a global supplier of machinery and services in civil engineering. The acquisition gives the group access to Aliva’s global dealer network and strengthens its presence in the Swiss, Austrian and German markets.

    “Sika has found the right strategic partner for the Aliva Equipment business in Normet Group. Normet specializes in civil engineering and will invest in the long-term growth of Aliva’s business, people, products and technology. As part of the core business of a global company, new opportunities will open up for the strategic development of Aliva and its employees. For their part, customers can continue to count on first-class machines and reliable support,” Ivo Schädler, Regional Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Sika, is quoted as saying in the press release.

  • Sika presents a strong start to the year

    Sika presents a strong start to the year

    Sika closed the first quarter of 2021 with record sales of almost CHF 2.40 billion, the Zug-based building materials group, which operates worldwide, announced in a press release. In a year-on-year comparison, this corresponds to growth of 20.0 percent. In local currencies, growth of 21.9 percent was realized, writes Sika.

    All of the Group’s market regions contributed to the good development with double-digit growth rates in local currencies. The strongest growth was realized in the Americas region at 36.2 percent. In the region with the highest sales, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), sales increased by 18.1 percent to CHF 1.04 billion.

    For the year as a whole, Sika is aiming for sales growth of well over 10 percent in local currencies to total sales of more than CHF 10 billion for the first time. The operating result is to be increased disproportionately by at least 15 percent.

    Sika sees the construction sector being shaped “by the megatrend of climate change” and the associated shift to sustainable construction. According to its own statements, the group is well positioned here. “With our environmentally friendly and innovative solutions, we are positioning ourselves as a sustainability champion and, together with our customers, are making an important contribution to climate neutrality in the construction and vehicle industries,” said Group CEO Thomas Hasler in the statement. According to the announcement, the takeover of the former construction chemicals business of the BASF Group (MBCC Group), which was launched in November 2021, should also make Sika a “key player for more sustainability”.

  • Sika expands in Canada

    Sika expands in Canada

    Sika has announced the takeover of the Canadian building materials supplier Sable Marco in a media release . With this commitment, the specialty chemicals company wants to make sales in eastern Canada even more successful.

    Sable Marco is a leader in mortar and cement production. According to the press release, the company based in Pont-Rouge in the province of Québec has annual sales of 20 million francs.

    Sable Marco’s customer base fits Sika’s portfolio, they say. In addition, Sika can benefit from the “contacts to national and regional building material markets and DIY retail chains” and is taking an important step towards a “new customer base with high potential”.

    The cementitious products, mortar, polymer sands and other materials are produced in Greater Quebec. According to the announcement, the companies see synergies in the “cross-selling potential of the products that Sika offers in the target markets of waterproofing and building finishing”. Due to the geographic location, Sika sees opportunities for new sales channels in eastern Canada. In addition, the increasing demand for polymer sand products is conducive to cooperation.

  • Sika posts billions in profit

    Sika posts billions in profit

    According to a statement from Sika , the globally active Zug-based building materials group set a new sales record in the 2021 financial year. Specifically, sales increased by 17.5 percent year-on-year to CHF 9.25 billion. Operating profit at EBIT level increased by 23.1 percent to CHF 1.40 billion in the same period. The corresponding EBIT margin improved by 0.6 percentage points to 15.0 percent. In terms of net profit, Sika reported a record result of 1.05 billion francs, which corresponds to an increase of 27.1 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.

    “Sika has created lasting value in a challenging year,” said CEO Thomas Hasler in the statement. “We will do everything we can to continue our strong growth in all regions.” For the current financial year, Sika is aiming for sales growth of more than 10 percent in local currencies to more than CHF 10 billion for the first time.

    In the reporting year, Sika completed a total of seven acquisitions. The takeover of the MBCC Group, which was agreed in November 2021, is expected to be completed in the second half of 2022, Sika informs. The former construction chemicals business of the BASF Group with annual sales of 2.9 billion Swiss francs is to complement and expand Sika’s business “in four out of five core technologies and seven out of eight target markets,” according to the statement.

    With its products, Sika is increasingly focusing on sustainability. The company sees itself “as an enabler that enables customers to use innovative products to reduce CO2 emissions, to build in a resource-saving manner and to make structures safer,” writes Sika. To this end, Sika offers a range of products that ranges “from additives for low-emission concrete to facade systems for energy-efficient buildings to adhesives for climate-friendly vehicles”. On September 30, Sika intends to communicate a “net zero roadmap” with new sustainability goals for its own company.

  • Sika wants to grow in Africa

    Sika wants to grow in Africa

    Sika is positioning itself for further dynamic growth in Tanzania and the Republic of Ivory Coast. The company has moved into a new location in the East African economic center of Dar es Salaam. There, the Zug-based company now also produces mortar and tile adhesive in addition to concrete additives. This shortens the transport routes, according to a press release from the company.

    In the Republic of Ivory Coast in the west of the continent, Sika has doubled the size of its factory premises. With new areas for storage, offices and laboratories in Abidjan, Sika can double the production capacities for tile adhesive and repair mortar in the medium term and expand storage capacities. The neighboring countries of Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Mali and Sierra Leone will also be supplied from there.

    Sika is committed to “sustainable business activities in Africa” in the long term, Regional Manager EMEA, Ivo Schädler, is quoted as saying. “At both locations, we produce high-quality solutions that are used for large infrastructure projects.” As examples, he cites the metro project and the expansion of the seaport in Abidjan, the Standard Gauge Railway and the Julius Nyerere hydroelectric power station in Tanzania.

  • Sika expands scope for capital increases

    Sika expands scope for capital increases

    Sika shareholders support expanding Sika’s scope for capital increases. The Zug-based group for specialty chemicals in the construction and automotive industries announced in a press release that they approved the increase in conditional capital from currently almost 15.6 million registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.01 each to almost 18.8 million registered shares with the same nominal value . Due to the pandemic, the corresponding vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting on January 25 was organized via an independent proxy.

    In the same announcement, Sika also announces plans for a change in the Board of Directors. Gordona Landen is to be seated here at the next ordinary General Assembly on April 12. The Swedish citizen comes from HR administration and was most recently active in the management of the Adecco Group .

  • Sika posts record sales

    Sika posts record sales

    Sika generated record sales of 9.24 billion Swiss francs in the 2021 financial year, the Zug-based group specializing in specialty chemicals in the construction and automotive industries, which is active around the world, reports in a press release. Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to growth of 17.1 percent in local currencies. Organic growth is put at 15.1 percent year-on-year in the announcement. A number of acquisitions made during the reporting period contributed 2.0 percentage points to sales growth.

    "As expected, the challenging year 2021 ended very successfully for Sika", CEO Thomas Hasler is quoted in the announcement. "We benefit from various growth platforms and are excellently positioned to achieve long-term success." Hasler expects government investment programs to further boost sales growth in the future. In addition, the CEO sees an enormous need for sustainable solutions in the construction industry.

    In the year under review, Sika sales in the construction industry grew faster than the market, the press release further explains. Sika shows double-digit growth year-on-year in all regions of the world. The strongest growth in sales, at 21.0 percent, was in the Americas region. In the separately reported business with the automotive industry (Global Business segment), Sika returned to the growth zone in the reporting year after a decline in 2020. Specifically, growth of 4.3 percent was achieved in local currencies.

    The group plans to communicate its detailed annual report for 2021 on February 18. In doing so, Sika expects to be able to report a disproportionately high increase in the operating result at EBIT level and an EBIT margin of 15 percent.

  • Sika sells industrial coatings business in Europe

    Sika sells industrial coatings business in Europe

    According to a press release, Sika has made the strategic decision to sell its European industrial coatings business based in Vaihingen near Stuttgart, Germany. The buyer is the American Sherwin-Williams Company , the world’s leading supplier of industrial paints and coatings. In contrast, this business offers Sika “little potential for synergies” at group level. The division is therefore “a niche business within the Sika Group”.

    The portfolio includes corrosion and fire protection coatings, which are mainly sold in Germany, Switzerland, Poland and Austria. This offers Sherwin-Williams, whose core competencies include industrial coatings, “an important strategic opportunity to promote growth and expand its market position in Europe”.

    It was “very important” for Sika to “find a suitable strategic owner who will continue to invest in the further development of products and the further training of employees”, regional manager EMEA, Ivo Schädler, is quoted in the press release. “Within this organization, the Industrial Coatings division and its employees have the ideal prerequisites to develop their full potential.”

  • Sika expands in the Mexican market

    Sika expands in the Mexican market

    Sika AG expands in Central America and takes over Bexel Internacional SA de CV . The acquisition of the family company will significantly increase the production capacity of the producer of construction chemical product systems and industrial sealants and adhesives, according to a media release . Bexel achieved sales of 35 million francs in 2020.

    Bexel has five production sites, including Mexico City, and primarily supplies hardware stores and building materials dealers. The takeover is intended to strengthen Sika's market position in this rapidly growing metropolitan region. In addition, Sika hopes that the purchase of Bexel will generate sales synergies for its products.

    “Thanks to Bexel, we can ideally expand our geographical presence and our range on the large Mexican market for mortar products in the building finishing sector. So we have together, not least because of the improved market access, an excellent basis for further growth and a strong position in this market. We warmly welcome all new Bexel employees to the Sika team and look forward to a successful future together, ”said Christoph Ganz, Regional Manager Americas at Sika, in the press release.

  • Sika is growing at a double-digit rate

    Sika is growing at a double-digit rate

    According to a message from Sika , the Zug-based building materials group closed the first half of 2021 with new record values. In concrete terms, sales grew by 23.1 percent to 4.45 billion Swiss francs. The operating result at EBIT level rose by 67.2 percent year-on-year to 685.9 million francs. The EBIT margin reached a new record at 15.4 percent.

    "We asserted ourselves again in a market environment that remained challenging and achieved very good business results in the first half of 2021", Thomas Hasler is quoted in the press release. "COVID-19 will continue to challenge us," says the CEO. "But we are well positioned and have proven our resistance to crises under difficult economic conditions and created new growth platforms."

    All of Sika's business regions contributed to the positive development in the first half of 2021 with double-digit sales growth rates. In the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa), a year-on-year increase in sales of 25.2 percent to 2.04 billion Swiss francs was achieved. The Americas region grew by 15.8 percent to 1.10 billion Swiss francs. In the Asia / Pacific region, sales increased by 26.4 percent to 960.8 million francs. Business with the automotive industry (Global Business) grew by 26.4 percent to CHF 351.0 million.

    For the year as a whole, Sika expects sales growth of between 13 and 17 percent in local currencies. The operating result is to be increased disproportionately. Sika expects the EBIT margin to be at least 15.0 percent despite rising raw material prices.

  • Sika takes over the market leader for green roofs in the USA

    Sika takes over the market leader for green roofs in the USA

    Sika is developing into number one for green roofs in North America: The producer of construction chemical product systems and industrial sealants and adhesives takes over the Chicago-based American Hydrotech Inc. and its Canadian subsidiary Hydrotech Membrane Corporation , based in Ville d'Anjou in the province of Quebec.

    According to a press release from Sika, the company is the “clear market leader” for green roofs as an “established and recognized manufacturer of liquid membranes”. Hydrotech also has a strong market position when it comes to waterproofing the roofs and foundations of shopping centers. In 2020, the company achieved sales of CHF 83 million.

    “With the takeover, we will become the clear market leader in the rapidly growing application areas of green roofs and building waterproofing,” says Christoph Ganz, Sika's regional manager for the Americas. The fact that Hydrotech offers long-lasting products made with 40 percent recyclates “fits perfectly with Sika's sustainability strategy and strengthens our position in large cities, where green roofs are becoming increasingly important”.

  • Sika is strengthening in Japan

    Sika is strengthening in Japan

    With Hamatite, Sika takes over one of the leading Japanese suppliers of adhesives and sealants. Its annual turnover was most recently 160 million francs. The tire manufacturer Yokohama Rubber has sold this business area as part of a reorientation towards its core business.

    With Hamatite, the Zug-based specialty chemicals company has expanded market access to all important Japanese automobile manufacturers, including those outside of Japan. According to a press release , Sika intends to significantly increase the proportion of its solutions per vehicle. In addition, Sika receives extensive global production capacities and can thus offer all car manufacturers long-term advantages in the supply chain.

    The acquisition also expands Sika's portfolio of high-quality adhesives and sealants that meet the high Japanese building standards. Sika's market penetration in the automotive and construction sectors will accelerate, said Sika CEO Paul Schuler. "With our global production capacities, we will be able to serve our customers in the automotive sector even better, both on a global and a local level."

    "We look forward to", says Mike Campion, Regional Manager Asia / Pacific at Sika, "to welcome the Hamatite employees at Sika and to develop our joint cross-selling potential together with them".

  • Sika raises the bar

    Sika raises the bar

    Sika closed the first quarter of 2021 with record sales of just under 2.0 billion francs, the Zug-based building materials group announced in a press release . In a year-on-year comparison, this corresponds to growth of 10.2 percent. Sika writes that growth of 12.6 percent was achieved in local currencies. The announcement puts organic growth at 11.1 percent.

    All market regions of the globally active group contributed to the positive development. In the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa), a year-on-year increase in sales of 13.2 percent in local currencies to 914.7 million Swiss francs was achieved. The Americas region grew by 6.2 percent in local currencies. In the Asia / Pacific region, sales in local currencies rose by 25.8 percent to 422.8 million Swiss francs. In business with the automotive industry (Global Business), growth of 2.7 percent in local currencies was achieved after a minus in the previous year.

    "In the new year we were able to seamlessly build on our strong performance from the fourth quarter of the previous year", Paul Schuler, chairman of the group management, is quoted in the announcement. As a consequence of the development, Sika is adjusting its growth targets for the year as a whole upwards. Instead of the 6 to 8 percent originally communicated, the aim is now to achieve double-digit sales growth in local currencies. The margin on the operating result (EBIT) is also to be increased to 15 percent for the first time this year. In the previous year, an EBIT margin of 14.4 percent was achieved.

  • Sika raises the bar

    Sika raises the bar

    Sika closed the first quarter of 2021 with record sales of just under 2.0 billion francs, the Zug-based building materials group announced in a press release . In a year-on-year comparison, this corresponds to growth of 10.2 percent. Sika writes that growth of 12.6 percent was achieved in local currencies. The announcement puts organic growth at 11.1 percent.

    All market regions of the globally active group contributed to the positive development. In the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa), a year-on-year increase in sales of 13.2 percent in local currencies to 914.7 million Swiss francs was achieved. The Americas region grew by 6.2 percent in local currencies. In the Asia / Pacific region, sales in local currencies rose by 25.8 percent to 422.8 million Swiss francs. In business with the automotive industry (Global Business), growth of 2.7 percent in local currencies was achieved after a minus in the previous year.

    "In the new year we were able to seamlessly build on our strong performance from the fourth quarter of the previous year", Paul Schuler, chairman of the group management, is quoted in the announcement. As a consequence of the development, Sika is adjusting its growth targets for the year as a whole upwards. Instead of the 6 to 8 percent originally communicated, the aim is now to achieve double-digit sales growth in local currencies. The margin on the operating result (EBIT) is also to be increased to 15 percent for the first time this year. In the previous year, an EBIT margin of 14.4 percent was achieved.

  • Sika invests in Qatar

    Sika invests in Qatar

    Sika has increased the production capacities for concrete admixtures at its location in Qatar's capital Doha, informs the Zug-based building materials group in a press release . In addition, the production of epoxy resins has now also started there, it says there. They are needed for the production of floor coverings and adhesives.

    The expansion investments are intended to put Sika in a better position in the competition for major government contracts in Qatar. Here, the national procurement policy stipulates that primarily domestically manufactured products are procured, explains the group. According to the announcement, high investments in the supply infrastructure for energy and water are pending in Qatar.

    "Our latest investment in Qatar positions us for further growth and strengthens our competitiveness in the country", Sika Regional Manager EMEA Ivo Schädler is quoted in the press release. "As a result of the expanded production, we are assuming a significant increase in demand and volume for our high-quality adhesive and flooring solutions for our business."

  • Sika buys mortar manufacturer in Brazil

    Sika buys mortar manufacturer in Brazil

    Sika buys a mortar manufacturer in Brazil. With its BR Massa brand, Supermassa do Brasil Ltda has a strong market position in the Minas Gerais region, Sika explains in a statement on the takeover. It is intended to strengthen the presence of the Zug-based building materials group in hardware stores and specialist dealers in what is said to be one of the most important economic regions in Brazil. In addition, Sika is relying on being able to successfully offer other of its own products in conjunction with BR Massa products.

    "With BR Massa we can further improve our customer service and our offer in the Minas Gerais region", Christoph Ganz, Regional Manager Americas, is quoted in the press release. “The increased presence in sales and the expanded local supply chain will make a significant contribution to the further penetration of the Brazilian market.” The takeover also gives Sika its first production site in the region.

    The transaction will take place subject to the approval of the local antitrust authorities, Sika further informs in the announcement. No information is given there about the purchase price or further details about the takeover.

  • Sika sets new standards in the recycling of concrete

    Sika sets new standards in the recycling of concrete

    According to a message from Sika , the Zug-based building materials group has "developed a new, groundbreaking recycling process for old concrete". With the help of additives, the demolition material is broken down into its components pebble, lime and sandstone. In addition, around 60 kilograms of CO2 per tonne of old concrete would be bound, writes Sika.

    "In the five largest EU countries alone, around 300 million tons of old concrete are produced annually," Sika CEO Paul Schuler is quoted in the press release. "By completely recycling, up to 15 million tons of CO2 emissions can be saved."

    The new process allows the complete recycling of concrete waste, explains Sika in the press release. Conventional processes, on the other hand, have only made it possible to recycle around a third of the raw materials recovered. The new concrete obtained in the reCO2ver process, on the other hand, comes close to that of new concrete in terms of quality.

    According to Frank Hoefflin, reCO2ver is a unique method in the industry for recycling old concrete. "We are already working on developing chemical additives and means to continuously improve quality in order to further advance the industrialization of our technology," explains the head of technology at Sika in the message.

  • Thomas Hasler is to lead Sika

    Thomas Hasler is to lead Sika

    According to a statement from Sika , the globally active Zug-based building materials group was able to post new record values for operating profit and consolidated profit in the 2020 financial year. Specifically, the operating result at EBIT level rose by 7.1 percent year-on-year to 1.13 billion Swiss francs. At the same time, consolidated profit increased by 8.8 percent to 825.1 million francs. Sales grew by 3.4 percent in local currencies to 7.88 billion Swiss francs.

    "In 2020, the distribution business and our refurbishment business in particular proved to be particularly resistant to crises," Paul Schuler is quoted in the press release. In the opinion of the Sika CEO, the group will benefit from the growing demand for environmentally friendly products in the future. "A large part of our sales is already generated with technologies that provide customers, the environment and society with sustainable benefits," explains Schuler. For the current year, Sika is aiming for sales growth of between 6 and 8 percent in local currencies.

    Schuler will hand over his position to Thomas Hasler at the beginning of May. The current head of Global Business and Industry at Sika has been with the Zug-based building materials group for 32 years, the press release explains. Hasler joined Sika as a research chemist for industrial adhesives and in 2011 took over as head of automotive worldwide. The designated CEO has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2014. The current CEO, Paul Schuler, will be proposed for election to the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting in April.

  • Sika purchases in Russia

    Sika purchases in Russia

    Sika is buying up the Russian manufacturer of mortar products Kreps LLC, informs the Zug-based building materials group in a press release . The company, with annual sales of around 15 million francs, specializes in the production of tile adhesives, plasters and floor leveling compounds. The notification does not provide any information about the purchase price.

    The new addition is intended to strengthen Sika's position in the region. "Kreps offers a broad product portfolio and an expanded geographic presence for mortar in the Russian Federation," Ivo Schädler, Regional Manager EMEA at Sika, is quoted in the press release. "Together with the improved access to the sales channel, we get a platform to further expand and strengthen our position in this market." The new acquisition has production sites in Saint Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, both regions in which Sika was previously not represented with its own locations.

    With the takeover, a training center operated by Kreps and “well-equipped” production laboratories will also be owned by Sika, the press release explains. According to her, the transaction has yet to be approved by the local antitrust authorities.

  • Sika invests in Cidra Concrete Systems

    Sika invests in Cidra Concrete Systems

    Sika is expanding its collaboration with Cidra Concrete Systems. According to a press release, the Zug-based construction chemicals company has signed an agreement to finance growth with equity capital. This agreement complements the global partnership that has existed since the beginning of 2019 with the North American expert for monitoring and information systems in concrete mixing vehicles. It was closed for the introduction of this data service in the USA and Canada.

    Cidra Concrete Systems, headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, manufactures high-precision on-board systems that measure concrete quality during transport from the concrete plant to the construction site. Concrete manufacturers can use a cloud-based data portal to call up information on concrete quality such as workability or air volume for every vehicle in their fleet in real time. Now this partnership between the two companies is to be extended to other countries. "We are pleased to be able to offer this offer worldwide thanks to Sika's position as market leader," said Cidra boss Scott Anderson.

    "With this IoT-based technology we can provide our customers in the concrete industry with new digital solutions", Phillippe Jost, Head Construction Sika, is quoted in the press release. “Optimizing the mix design of concrete” enables Sika customers “to improve the performance of their concrete and their profitability by reducing the number of rejected truck loads”.