Pre-close Trading Update

1 Apr 2005 07:00

Carclo plc1 April 2005 Carclo plc Pre-close Trading Update The board anticipates that the trading outcome for the year ended 31 March 2005will be in line with its expectations. As forecast, the group delivered a strong performance in the last quarter. TheTechnical Plastics division benefited from good automotive volumes and arecovery in divisional operating profits. We are now seeing the real benefit ofthe ongoing re-structuring programme and this should provide the base forfurther progress in the new financial year. In general, demand has stabilised.We have some concerns over the strength of demand for automotive components inthe USA, but the medical market remains buoyant. We have seen encouraging growth in our Chinese Technical Plastics operationwhich is now profitable. The Indian Joint Venture which was set up tomanufacture control cables will be become fully operational during our nextfinancial year. Card Clothing has experienced a difficult year but the order book is nowimproving and the new China facility is performing well. The development of our new technologies continues to progress well and weanticipate that the Conductive Inkjet Technology joint venture will commencegenerating revenues in the new financial year. - Ends - Enquiries: Carclo plc 01924 268040Ian Williamson, Chief ExecutiveRobert Brooksbank, Finance Director Weber Shandwick Square Mile 020 7067 0700Susanne Walker Notes to Editors • Carclo plc is a global supplier of technical plastic components and specialist wire products. It is a public company whose shares are quoted on the London Stock Exchange. • 81% of sales are derived from the supply of fine tolerance, injection moulded plastic components, which are used in medical, automotive, telecom and electronics products. This business, Carclo Technical Plastics, operates internationally in a fast growing and dynamic market underpinned by rapid technological development. • The Specialist Wire division manufactures card clothing, a specialised engineered product used by the textile fibre processing industry world wide, precision aerospace products and band saws. • Carclo's strategy is to grow rapidly in low cost manufacturing regions and to develop new technologies and products to underpin future growth. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange