largest sales market, accounting for 19 % of total sales –
rose by 3 %. A main reason for this increase was the strong
recovery of oil and gas exploration activities. On account
of higher crude-oil prices, new wells were developed in the
U.S. As a consequence, the demand for specialty products
from the BYK division was higher than in the previous year.
However, sales in Brazil and other important Latin Ameri-
can markets did not reach the previous year’s levels. Overall,
the Americas accounted for 28 % of global Group sales,
the same percentage as in the previous year.
Asia was responsible for 33 % of Group sales in 2017
(previous year: 31 %). Recording operating growth of 13 %,
Asia was the biggest growth driver of all the regions, as
was the case in the previous year. Sales in China, in particular,
developed extraordinarily well, achieving operating
growth of 20 %. With an 18 % share of total sales, China is
the Group’s second-largest sales market. Other Asian countries
also made positive contributions to the sales growth, most
notably South Korea, Japan, and Thailand. Sales with customers
in India, ALTANA’s second-biggest sales market
in Asia after China, were roughly on a par with the previous
year’s level. This very dynamic development of demand,
especially in China, was the primary reason that the growth
goals forecast at the beginning of 2017 were surpassed.
Sales Performance of BYK
In 2017, the BYK division boosted its sales by 13 %, or
€ 121.2 million, to € 1,030.4 million (previous year: € 909.1 mil-
lion). As a result, it showed the highest momentum within
the ALTANA Group. This sales increase was driven, among
other things, by the integration of the PolyAd companies
acquired in 2017, as well as the prorated effects from the acquisition
of the Addcomp activities in 2016. Adjusted for
Sales by division
1
4
2
3
17.1 %
21.8 %
45.9 %
15.2 %
in € million 2016 2017 Δ % Δ % op.
1 BYK 909.1 1,030.4 13 9
2 ECKART 361.9 385.3 6 7
3 ELANTAS 452.1 488.7 8 7
4 ACTEGA 352.2 342.6 - 3 0
Total 2,075.3 2,247.0 8 7
Sales by region
1
4
2
3
27.8 %
32.6 %
37.9 %
1.7 %
in € million 2016 2017 Δ % Δ % op.
1 Europe 798.6 852.3 7 6
thereof Germany 263.2 275.7 5 4
2 Americas 587.2 623.6 6 2
thereof U.S. 398.8 436.3 9 3
3 Asia 652.3 733.5 12 13
thereof China 336.0 399.0 19 20
4 Other regions 37.2 37.6 1 1
Total 2,075.3 2,247.0 8 7
54 Business Development