Management Report Products Safety and Health Environment Human Resources Social Commitment Consolidated Financial Statements 57
down on the previous year. An essential factor for the sales
growth was the demand in oil and gas activities. But business
with additives in the plastics industry and industrial applications,
as well as sales of testing and masuring instruments,
also developed positively. An increasing scarcity of raw
materials in the course of the year curbed growth in some
product groups. The slowdown in economic growth in
the second half of the year was particularly due to declining
demand for applications in the automotive industry.
In terms of regions, the division’s growth was driven by
Asia – and especially by the growing demand among
customers in BYK’s second-largest sales market, China. Substantial
sales growth was also generated in other impor-
tant Asian countries, above all in Thailand, Japan, and India.
While sales in Europe did not grow at the same pace as
in the Asian sales region, they showed a very stable development.
A slight decrease in sales in Germany, Great Britain,
and Turkey was more than compensated for by other important
markets on the continent. The sales performance in
the Americas remained virtually the same as in the previous
year. The demand in Canada and Brazil, however, was disproportionately
higher than in the previous year.
Sales Performance of ECKART
Sales in the ECKART division decreased by 1 % to € 382.6
million (previous year: € 385.3 million). Adjusted for slightly
negative exchange-rate effects, however, sales were up by
1 % in operating terms. This is primarily due to price increases,
which were set against negative product-mix effects.
The
sales volume of effect pigments was slightly lower than in the
previous year.
Particularly due to steadily declining demand in the automotive
industry in the second half of 2018, sales in this
segment and in industrial applications were significantly lower
than in 2017. Nor did sales with customers in the graphic-
arts industry reach the previous year’s level. However, ECKART
was able to expand its activities in the cosmetics sector in
the last fiscal year.
In terms of regions, the division’s operating sales growth
varied. While Europe developed stably at the 2017 level,
the Americas and Asia recorded slight operating sales growth.
Sales Performance of ELANTAS
In 2018, sales in the ELANTAS division increased by 4 %, or
€ 17.8 million, to € 506.6 million (previous year: € 488.7
million). The positive sales effect from the two acquisitions
in the U.S. and China in 2017 was completely offset by
negative exchange-rate influences, and so after adjustments
operating sales growth amounted to 4 %. The positive
sales development
is due to price increases and positive
product-mix effects. The sales volume decreased slightly
in year-to-year terms.
This development was reflected in all of the important
fields of business. The division’s biggest product segment,
wire enamels, accounted for the largest share of the sales
growth. But sales in the electric segment also improved
slightly over the previous year.
In 2018, the demand for the division’s products was generally
positive in all core regions, with Asia again recording
the strongest sales performance in operating terms. Asia accounted
for more than half of the division’s total sales in
2018. The sales achieved in China, ELANTAS’ most important
market, and in India developed disproportionately. The
sales performance in Europe was also positive overall. Sales
increased in many markets. In all of the important sales
markets in the Americas, ELANTAS further expanded sales in
2018. The only country with lower sales was the U.S.
Sales Performance of ACTEGA
The ACTEGA division had the highest operating sales growth
of all our divisions in 2018. Nominal sales increased by 3 %,
or € 10 million, to € 352.6 million (previous year: € 342.6 milGroup