TIDMECEL
RNS Number : 1751Z
Eurocell plc
12 May 2023
12 May 2023
EUROCELL PLC
("Eurocell" or the "Group")
Trading Update and Board Changes
Eurocell plc, the market leading, vertically integrated UK
manufacturer, recycler and distributor of innovative window, door
and roofline PVC products, provides the following update for the
first four months of 2023.
Trading Performance
Group sales for the four months to 30 April 2023 were down 2%
compared to a very strong equivalent period in 2022. Comparisons by
division were as follows:
Sales to 30 April vs 2022
2023
Total Group -2%
Profiles Division level
Building Plastics Division -3%
--------
Whilst we have benefited from recent market share gains in
Profiles, trading volumes for the Group were nonetheless down 6% in
the period, impacted by weakness in both the repair, maintenance
and improvement (RMI) and new build markets as follows:
-- Profiles - subdued RMI and fragile new build markets have resulted in lower sales volumes.
However, we have continued to acquire new fabricator accounts, and our pipeline of potential
new fabricator customers remains healthy.
-- Building Plastics - RMI volume in the branch network is also subdued but remains steady.
We have continued to experience cost inflation, particularly for
electricity (where we operate a rolling 12-month forward hedging
policy for the majority of our requirements). PVC resin prices have
fallen back slightly this year, but remain volatile, and feedstock
prices for our recycling plants remain significantly higher than
the comparative period in 2022.
We have continued to offset input cost inflation with selling
price increases and surcharges. However, lower volumes and resin
prices are driving increasingly competitive markets for our
products, resulting in margin pressure.
Outlook and Seasonality
The Construction Product Association's (CPA) latest forecast,
published earlier in May, reaffirmed a reduction in the RMI market
of -9% for 2023 (unchanged from the January CPA update), but now
predicts a further decline in new build to -17% (previously -11%),
before both markets recover in 2024.
As market volumes and oil prices retreat, we have acted quickly
and are capturing further cost savings. Also, driven by our
increasingly efficient operations, we have identified additional
opportunities for cost reduction and profit improvement.
Last year, in a change to historical seasonal patterns, sales
volume and profit generation was weighted towards H1. This
reflected very strong demand in the RMI market in the first half,
followed by a slowdown in smaller discretionary RMI work in H2. For
2023, we now anticipate a heavy weighting towards H2, with sales
returning to normal seasonality and profits in the second half also
benefiting from lower input prices (including hedged electricity)
and cost savings.
Taking the above factors into account, we now expect adjusted
profit before tax for 2023 to come in below current market
expectations (1) .
Our balance sheet is strong and the actions we have taken and
plan to implement will improve our efficiency and resilience, and
position us well to benefit when our end markets recover.
Board Changes
The following Board changes took place following the conclusion
of yesterday's AGM.
As previously announced, following an agreed handover period,
Darren Waters assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer and
Mark Kelly retired. Also as previously announced, Martyn Coffey
stood down from the Board.
We are also delighted to announce that the Board appointed Will
Truman as an independent Non-executive Director, and member of the
Nomination Committee.
Will brings strong commercial expertise, as well as a wealth of
experience in stakeholder management and M&A. He is currently
engaged in a non-executive advisory role at Imagesound Limited,
having served as Chief Executive Officer for 9 years up to April
2023, and as Chief Financial Officer for 7 years prior to that.
Previously, Will was an Associate Director in Transaction Services
at KPMG LLP and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered
Accountants in England and Wales.
Derek Mapp, Chair of the Board, said:
"I am delighted that Will is joining the Eurocell Board. He
brings extensive and complementary experience of delivering
sustainable business growth, both organically and through
acquisition, and we are looking forward to working with him."
This announcement is made pursuant to LR 9.6.11R(3) of the
Listing Rules and there are no further matters, required by
paragraphs 9.6.13R (1) to (6) of the Listing Rules, to be disclosed
in relation to Will Truman.
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes
of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014.
Notes:
(1) Eurocell-calculated analyst consensus profit before tax forecast for 2023 of GBP22.0 million.
Enquiries:
Eurocell plc
Darren Waters, Chief Executive Officer +44 (0) 1773 842 105
Michael Scott, Chief Financial Officer +44 (0) 1773 842 140
Teneo
Nick de Bunsen +44 (0) 7825 575 258
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END
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May 12, 2023 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)
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