markets, sales grew disproportionately compared to the prior
year. Overall, the Americas accounted for 27 % of total
Group sales, a slight drop from 2017 (previous year: 28 %).
Asia was responsible for 33 % of Group sales, unchanged
from 2017. Recording operating growth of 6 %,
Asia was the biggest growth driver of all of the regions,
as in the previous year, though the sales dynamic cooled off
somewhat. Sales in China, in particular, developed well,
and we achieved operating growth of 5 % there. With an
unchanged 18 % share of total sales, China is the Group’s
second-largest sales market. Nearly all of the other Asian
countries also made positive contributions to the sales
growth, most notably India and Japan, each achieving operating
sales growth of 10 %.
Sales Performance of BYK
In 2018, the BYK division boosted its sales by 3 %, or 35.2
million, to € 1,065.6 million (previous year: € 1,030.4 million).
This increase was slightly influenced positively by the
prorated effects from the acquisition of the PolyAd companies
in 2017, which, however, could not completely compensate
the negative burden from exchange-rate changes.
Adjusted for these two effects, operating sales growth was
4 % vis-à-vis the previous year. In the course of 2018, the
sales dynamic developed unevenly and noticeably flagged,
especially in the second half of the year.
In all markets and nearly all regions, BYK recorded sales
growth. This is primarily due to price increases and positive
product-mix effects. The sales volume, however, was slightly
Sales by division
1
4
2
3
16.6 %
21.9 %
46.2 %
15.3 %
in € million 2017 2018 Δ % Δ % op.
1 BYK 1,030.4 1,065.6 3 4
2 ECKART 385.3 382.6 - 1 1
3 ELANTAS 488.7 506.6 4 4
4 ACTEGA 342.6 352.6 3 6
Total 2,247.0 2,307.4 3 4
Sales by region
1
4
2
3
27.1 %
33.3 %
37.9 %
1.7 %
in € million 2017 2018 Δ % Δ % op.
1 Europe 852.3 875.0 3 2
thereof Germany 275.7 273.4 - 1 - 1
2 Americas 623.6 624.4 0 3
thereof U.S. 436.3 434.8 0 2
3 Asia 733.5 769.4 5 6
thereof China 399.0 421.2 6 5
4 Other regions 37.6 38.6 3 3
Total 2,247.0 2,307.4 3 4
56 Business Development