achieved. The strongest sales growth was achieved in Asia,
with India, which incurred particularly severe losses in the
pandemic year 2020, leading the way in percentage terms
with over 50 % growth. With the exception of Japan, where
operating sales growth was in the high single digits, all
other countries in the region, including China, BYK’s second-
largest sales market, contributed to the division’s high sales
growth with double-digit growth rates. Operating sales in the
Americas – mainly influenced by the U.S., BYK’s largest
single market – also developed very positively vis-à-vis the previous
year. Mexico and Canada led the way, followed by
Latin American countries, the U.S., and Brazil. Europe also
showed significant operating growth overall. In the Eurozone,
Italy in particular made up for the pandemic-related
sales declines in 2020, recording operating growth of
over 30 %, followed by Germany, the strongest country in
the region in terms of sales, which grew by 23 %.
Sales Performance of ECKART
The ECKART division generated sales of € 382.8 million
in 2021 (previous year: € 315.2 million). The year-over-year
increase of 21 % was slightly negatively influenced by exchange
rate effects and positively influenced by the acquisition
of the business activities of TLS Technik GmbH & Co.
Spezialpulver KG in Bitterfeld in February of the year. Adjusted
for these effects, operating sales increased by 20 %. The
ECKART division also recovered from the pandemic-related
slump in demand in 2020, slightly exceeding its pre-crisis
level overall. The recovery was spread across all the industries
it supplies, although demand in the automotive industry,
partly due to supply bottlenecks in the semiconductor technology
sector, has not yet returned to pre-crisis levels. The
same applies to the cosmetic applications sector.
The positive sales trend was reflected in all regions in
2021, albeit to varying degrees of intensity. Asia, with China
as its strongest sales market, achieved strong growth with
the exception of the Middle East. The Americas, which incurred
the greatest losses in the previous year, caught up
significantly, but were not yet able to return to pre-crisis levels.
The highest operating growth was achieved in Europe,
both in the Eurozone and in the other markets, and in nominal
terms this region even exceeded the pre-crisis level.
Sales Performance of ELANTAS
In the ELANTAS division, sales increased in 2021 by 28 % or
€ 130.3 million to € 593.6 million (previous year: € 463.3
million). The operating sales growth, adjusted for slight positive
currency effects, was at the same level. ELANTAS thus
achieved the highest operating growth within the Group in
year-to-year terms. The division’s very positive development
was mainly due to volume increases far above the pre-crisis
level. Price adjustments to compensate for material cost
increases, which had the greatest impact in this division, also
contributed to the sales growth.
A look at the regions shows a continuation of the trend
already evident in the previous year. Asia in particular,
and especially China, the largest sales market in the region,
recorded the strongest sales growth with volume increases
far exceeding the pre-crisis level. The Americas, with the U.S.
as the most important single market, also recorded high
growth rates with double-digit operating sales gains in all
countries. As in the previous year, Brazil was particularly
noteworthy in this region, continuing to perform consistently
well. In Europe, too, the pandemic-related decline of
the previous year was more than offset across all markets. In
Italy in particular, the largest single market in the region,
pre-crisis levels were surpassed by far.
Sales Performance of ACTEGA
With sales of € 462.9 million (previous year: € 391.0 million),
the ACTEGA division achieved growth of 18 % compared
to 2020. The division benefited, among other things, from
56 Business Development