Etex-AR2017-WEBSITE

2.5
Activity report
Etex Roofing
Etex Annual Report 2017
Activity report
Etex Roofing
PPThe Little Kelham
low-carbon housing
development in Sheffield,
UK used Marley Eternit's
fibre cement sales, cladding
and corrugated sheets
to create a distinctive
urban aesthetic. Slates are
increasinly being used to
clad building façades in
addition to the roofs.
European
leader
Etex holds a strong footprint for residential
pitched roofing products in Europe, a
mature roofing market. We are also a
frontrunner in the agricultural segment
across the continent.
Great results in the UK
2017 marked another good year for
Etex’s residential roofing business in the
United Kingdom. As the need for housing
projects continues to grow, previous
investments in our existing operational
footprint have started to provide us with
the additional capacity needed to unlock
local market potential. While unfavourable
exchange rates did have an impact on
our margins, we offset this effect with our
strong industrial performance.
In addition, we fully integrated our 2016
acquisition of timber products supplier
John Brash & Co, divesting those assets not
in line with our core activities.
Well on track in Ireland
Our results for 2017 continued to improve.
The roofing market in Ireland is recovering
rapidly. As a result, pressure from
competition—especially from imports—is
likely to continue in the years to come.
Investment in our Irish operations is
progressing well, and we expect to see a
ramp-up in activities in 2018.
Reaping rewards in the Netherlands
Sales figures for our agricultural roofing
business in the Netherlands were again
positive in 2017. Previous efforts to optimise
capacity and increase lean production
activities has enabled us to serve the Dutch
market more effectively.
Good grades in Belgium
Belgium has been a stable and profitable
market for our residential roofing business
for years—and 2017 was no exception. Our
local approach successfully grew our tile
and components business.
The new-build construction market
remains focussed on flat roofs and multidwelling
houses. Pitched roofs, however,
remain the norm in renovation projects,
which represent the bulk of the Belgian
construction market.
PPOur newly launched
Tecta roof slate has a
unique UV-coating with
a flat surface, higher
durability and stability, and
increased resistance to dirt
and moisture.
Recovery in France
After years of pressure, the construction
market in France is recovering and our
French roofing business is poised to benefit
from this uplift.
In the residential roofing segment, we
generated growth. Furthermore, the
successful launch of Tecta, a highly durable
UV-coated slate generated encouraging
customers feedback to reacquisition our
position on the residential market.
While the agricultural segment did not
yet pick up in the same way as the overall
construction market did in France, the first
signs of recovery are on the horizon.
Shaping up in Germany
In Germany, Etex’s roofing business
continues to consolidate its leading
presence in a difficult context in the
pitched-roof market. While pitched roofs
still dominate in residential renovation
projects, the thriving new-build market
favours urban areas, hence multi-dwelling
housing with fewer total roofs and more
flat roofs.
The reorganisation of our German
operations was completed with the
closure of our roofing sheets production
facility in Heidelberg and various capacity
adjustments. This allowed for substantial
investment in the rejuvenation of our clay
tile portfolio and the acquisition of new
technologies for roof system components
development and production.
The focus in 2018 is to develop excellence in
service and accelerate our efforts towards
a digital route to market.
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