The largest cement producer in Slovakia, Holcim (Slovensko), a.s., reported sales of its products and services at SKK 3.847 billion last year. This is an increase of 7 percent y/y. The company made a pretax profit of SKK 187 million in 2006, while it ended SKK 169 million in the red a year ago. "Extensive modernization completed in 2004, in which Holcim invested SKK 2.2 billion, and clear customer-focused strategy brought about results," stated the chairman of the Holcim board of directors, Roland van Wijnen. He said that the building industry in Slovakia reported growth of 15 percent last year. "Therefore, we moderately decreased our market share to be able to continuously supply our customers during this critical time in the high construction season," said Mr. Wijnen. He added that Holcim again expects a shortage of construction materials in the high construction season, since a modest winter and construction boom did not allow for the generation of extensive supplies.
Holcim continued investing in environmental protection last year. Last year, SKK 65 million went to this field, while this year the company plans environmental investments of as much as SKK 182 million. In 2006, Holcim (Slovensko) sold almost 1.5 million tons of gray and white cement. Holcim runs 3 units for gravel aggregate production and sold 363,000 tons of gravel aggregate in 2006. It also controls a network of 27 concrete-production units in western and central Slovakia. These sold 523,000 tons of concrete last year.
Holcim (Slovensko) belongs to the Holcim Ltd. concern, one of the world's leading producers and suppliers of cement, gravel aggregate and transported concrete. It has representation in more than seventy countries across the world and on all continents. The company employed 584 people in Slovakia in late 2006.
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