Displaying items by tag: Denmark

Denmark: An ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) arbitration has been concluded in a case between MT Højgaard A/S and FLSmidth A/S dating back to 2004.

Much to the surprise of FLSmidth and contrary to expectations, the ICC arbitration award renders FLSmidth liable to pay significantly higher compensation than expected. The compensation is due for some of the costs resulting from delays at the Buxton cement plant in the UK in 2004.

According to the arbitration award, FLSmidth is to pay partial compensation plus interest, plus part of the costs of the proceedings to MT Højgaard.

The impact on FLSmidth's financial statements amounts to a net loss of Euro21.5m on EBITA and Euro16.1m on profit after tax, which will be booked in the fourth quarter of 2013. Consequently, the EBITA margin for 2013 is expected to be 3.5-4.5% rather than the previously forecast 4-5%.

Denmark: FLSmidth will cut a further 130 jobs in Denmark in addition to the 1100 job-cut announced in August 2013, according to Reuters. The cement plant manufacturer said the redundancies were caused by the development in the market for cement factories in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. A spokesman for FLSmidth declined to comment on whether the company is planning to cut more jobs outside of Denmark.

Denmark: The Danish cement plant manufacturer FLSmidth has announced that its total order intake fell by 22% to Euro1.43bn in the first half of 2013 from Euro1.83bn in the first half of 2012. However, its revenue increased by 16% to Euro1.62bn from Euro1.41bn.

Earnings before amortisation and impairment of intangible assets (EBITA) decreased by 45% to US$72.5m from Euro131.9m in the first half of 2012. FLSmidth's profit decreased by 62% to Euro23.7m from Euro62.2m in the first half of 2012.

Looking towards the rest of 2013, FLSmidth said that, over its entire operations (which now includes recent acqusition Cembrit), it expects consolidated revenue of Euro3.5 - 3.75bn. The launch of an efficiency programme is expected to create a sustainable EBITA improvement of Euro100m with full-year effect from 2015.

Denmark: FLSmidth has reported a 86% drop in its profit year-on-year to Euro5.77m for the first quarter of 2013, compared to Euro32.3m in 2012. The Danish engineering group blamed increased customer hesitation, market uncertainty and a lack of efficiency.

Its revenue increased by 17% to Euro758m in the first quarter of 2013 from Euro648m in 2012. However, order intake fell by 22% to Euro675m from Euro862m. Fewer large orders were signed in the fist quarter of 2013, while unannounced orders were stable. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation fell by 28% to Euro43.9m from Euro61.2m.

In its interim results FLSmidth stated that corrective actions were being developed and would be publicised in its second quarter report along with measures from the new CEO.

Denmark: Danish cement plant manufacturer FLSmidth has reported that its profit fell by 9% to Euro175m in 2012 from Euro193m in 2011. However, its revenue rose by 21% to Euro3.33bn from Euro2.75bn. Earnings before non-recurring items, depreciation, amortisation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 9% to Euro370m from Euro339m.

FLSmidth commented that in 2012 in the cement industry, capacity utilisation outside China remained relatively subdued at around 75%. Overall, the global cement market was affected by macroeconomic uncertainty and slow growth, but there were several local areas, where the economy grew and where cement demand outpaced supply.

In its cement division FLSmidth reported a fall in revenue of 3% to Euro584m in 2012 from Euro565m in 2011. It commented that the global market for contracted new kiln capacity (excluding China) amounted to an estimated 40Mt/yr in in 2012, compared to 46Mt/yr in 2011. This is the lowest level since 2002 and FLSmidth stated that it expects the market for new cement kiln capacity to have hit 'bottom' in 2012.

"We expect 2013 to be a trough year in terms of EBITA margin – particularly in Cement and Mineral Processing, where execution times are typically up to two to three years. The explanation is simply that we will now be executing orders taken at trough margins during the years of global financial crisis. Fortunately, we have seen market conditions improve since then, and we therefore expect margins to increase again in 2014," commented CEO Jørgen Huno Rasmussen in his outlook for 2013.

Denmark: Danish cement plant manufacturer FLSmidth has signed a Euro125m loan agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB). The five-year-bullet loan will finance FLSmidth's global research and development (R&D) programme within the cement industry during the period 2013-2016. The R&D programme will focus on development of innovative products, optimisation of energy efficiency and use of materials and fuel in the production process as well as reduction of harmful emissions.

"Through its focused R&D efforts FLSmidth aims at fulfilling its customers' future needs for innovative technical solutions, high reliability and availability, minimum environmental impact and the lowest possible lifecycle costs. This loan from the European Investment Bank supports these efforts," said Group Executive Vice President and CFO Ben Guren.

In its press release about the loan, FLSmidth noted that it places emphasis on the use of alternative fuels, reduced emissions and waste, improved heat recovery, lower power consumption, minimised water consumption, increased plant capacity, availability and operating efficiency and minimum safety risk.

Denmark: Danish cement plant manufacturer FLSmidth has announced that Jørgen Huno Rasmussen, aged 60, group chief executive officer (CEO) of FLSmidth since 2003 has decided to retire in the middle of 2013 after 10 years of service. Thomas Schulz will be appointed new group CEO of and is expected to take up his new position no later than 1 June 2013.

Schulz, aged 47, is a German citizen and has since 1998 been part of Sandvik (Svedala Industries), currently as President of Sandvik's Construction business area and member of Sandvik's Executive Management Group, based in Sweden. From 2005 to 2011 Schulz was based in Germany, Sweden and Singapore as president of Construction and senior vice president of Mining and Construction. Schulz holds a MSc and PhD in Engineering from the Technical University of Aachen, Germany with a dissertation in Mineral Mining and Quarrying.

"On behalf of the Board, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Jørgen Huno Rasmussen for his decisive contribution to the successful turnaround and development of the FLSmidth Group and for his dedicated leadership over 10 years. I am sure Thomas Schulz will prove to be a worthy successor and look forward to welcoming him to FLSmidth", commented chairman of the board of FLSmidth, Vagn Ove Sørensen.

Denmark: The Danish cement plant manufacturer FLSmidth & Co. A/S has continued strong growth in both revenue and order intake over the nine month period to 30 September 2012. The company's full year revenue guidance has been maintained, based on expectations of strong revenue generation in the fourth quarter.

In the third quarter of 2012 FLSmidth's order intake increased by 11% to Euro1.07bn from Euro962m in the third quarter of 2011. Revenue increased by 23% year-on-year to Euro847m from Euro688m and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 6% to Euro95.1m from Euro89.7m. The profit for the period decreased by 6% to Euro50.6m from Euro54.1m in the third quarter of 2011.

Over the nine months to 30 September 2012 FLSmidth's order intake increased by 19% year-on-year to Euro2.90bn from Euro2.44bn and its order backlog increased by 13% to Euro4.18bn. Revenue for the nine months increased by 23% to Euro2.25bn. Nine month EBITDA was up by 16% to Euro204m. Profit for the period decreased by 3% to Euro113m.

FLSmidth has maintained its full year revenue guidance for continuing activities of Euro3.35-3.48bn. Cash flow from investing activities (exclusive of acquisitions and their subsequent capital expenditure needs) is expected to amount to Euro102.9m in 2012 due to investments in service supercentres and expansion of manufacturing in India and China.

Denmark: FLSmidth has acquired Teutrine GmbH Industrie-Technik, a German company specialising in mobile solutions for repairs, refurbishments and installation services for the cement and minerals industries. The value of the takeover was not disclosed.

Teutrine mainly carries out maintenance and repair services at sites where it offers mobile solutions within repair (welding), refurbishment (machining, grinding, hard facing and overhauling), replacement (parts replacement, alignment, lifting) and upgrades (equipment replacement, alignment, lifting). The company's key markets are found in Europe and the Middle East.

"The acquisition of Teutrine is a significant addition to our service concept in relation to repair and refurbishment services as well as replacement and upgrade services for all the major equipment on a cement plant," said FLSmidth group CEO Jørgen Huno Rasmussen.

Teutrine was founded in 1973 by Antonius and Annemarie Teutrine. In 2009 the ownership was transferred to Gabriele Teutrine, CEO and successor to the founders. The company has 45 employees. Teutrine will be integrated in FLSmidth as part of the Plant Operation & Equipment Services within the Customer Services division.

Denmark: Cement equipment provider FLSmidth has reported that its second-quarter net profit for 2012 fell by 24% to Euro30m as increased costs and big write-downs outweighed growth in its revenue. Its profit in the same period in 2011 was Euro38.8m.

FLSmidth saw its revenue improve by 26% year-on-year, to Euro811m from Euro644m. Order intake also grew substantially by 20%, to Euro973m from Euro812m. As a result, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 32%, to Euro90m from Euro68.2m.

However, amortisation and write-downs of intangible assets jumped to Euro34.4m from Euro5.51m, which had a negative effect on overall profit. This negative item consisted mainly of a one-off Euro25.3m write-down of capitalised research and development costs.

FLSmidth registered strong order intake and earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (EBITA) in all its segments except for Bulk Materials, which has been experiencing difficulties in project execution as a result of underestimated risks in connection with orders received in previous years. For its cement sector two major orders in the USA and the Middle East were received in the second quarter. The period saw a order intake rise by 47%, to Euro256m from Euro173m.