Group Management Report Products Safety and Health Environment Human Resources Social Commitment Consolidated Financial Statements 57
the course of the year. In contrast, the previous year’s sales of
measuring and testing instruments were slightly exceeded
thanks to the acquisition made in mid-2019.
In terms of regions, Asia and the Americas were particularly
affected by the operating sales decrease. Developments
in Asia were negatively impacted above all by the significant
decline in operating sales in China, BYK’s second largest
single market. This could not be offset by slight operating sales
growth in some Asian countries, including India and Thailand.
Sales in the Americas also declined in operating terms.
Sales fell noticeably, particularly in the U.S., the division’s
largest single market. In Brazil, by contrast, sales were at the
prior-year level. Adjusted for positive exchange-rate and ac-
quisition effects, the Americas region, similar to Asia, showed
an overall downward trend compared with the previous
year. In contrast, sales in Europe dropped only slightly. A significant
decline, particularly in Germany, was partially off-
set by growth in other major markets on the continent such
as the UK, Italy, and Turkey.
Sales Performance of ECKART
In 2019, the ECKART division generated sales of € 356.2
million (previous year: € 382.6 million). The 7 % decline
vis-à-vis the previous year was influenced by positive exchange
rate effects. Adjusted for these effects, operating
sales fell by 9 %. Of this, 3 percentage points were attributable
to the discontinuation of low-margin trading business
in China. The sales trend in the division’s core business was
slowed in particular by declining demand in the automotive
industry, as well as in other industrial sectors.
The fundamentally difficult market environment was
reflected in almost all regions in 2019. In China, the division’s
complete withdrawal from trade business in 2019 left a
clear mark on sales development. In combination with fundamentally
declining growth in the Chinese market, sales
in Asia were below the previous year’s level. Sales in the Americas
were also well below 2018. Weak sales in Germany
had a negative impact on ECKART’s business activities in
Europe, although not quite as significant as in Asia and the
Americas.
Sales Performance of ELANTAS
In the ELANTAS division, sales in 2019 fell by 2 % or € 12.0
million to € 494.5 million (previous year: € 506.6 million).
Adjusted for positive currency effects, the operating sales
decline amounted to 4 %. This development is due both
to lower sales volumes compared to the previous year and to
a changed product mix. The main driver for the drop in
sales of electrical insulation products was again the generally
weaker economic situation. This development was reflected
in 2019 in all of ELANTAS’ major business areas.
Regional sales dynamics were uneven. ELANTAS achieved
sales growth in the Americas region. Adjusted for positive
exchange-rate effects, sales were at the previous year’s level.
In Europe and Asia, on the other hand, the division recorded
declining sales in all major markets, which were particularly
affected by weak demand in China, ELANTAS’ most import-
ant single market, as well as in Germany and Italy.
Sales Performance of ACTEGA
With sales of € 357.7 million (previous year: € 352.6 million),
the ACTEGA division was the only ALTANA Group division
to post nominal growth of 1 % compared to 2018. This increase
was favored by positive exchange-rate effects. Adjusted
for this effect, operating sales were slightly above the
previous year’s level. A minor decline in sales volumes was
offset by positive effects from a changed product mix and a
somewhat higher price level.
ACTEGA’s business developed positively in the main
application fields. For example, activities with functional products
for food packaging were increased compared to the
previous year, in some cases significantly. On the other hand,
ACTEGA recorded lower sales in the flexible packaging business
as well as in magazines and printed inserts.