* Net profit + 45 %
* Turnover + 17 %

Turnover increase
For the nine months to the end of September the Sioen group achieved a turnover of EUR 235 million, up 17.33% on the same period in 2003. This figure includes the recently acquired Dutch-Polish Roltrans group and French company Pennel. Without them, on a like-for-like basis, turnover was EUR 193.9 million, giving internally generated growth of 10%.

Coating Division posted turnover of EUR 103 million for the first nine months. This represents internal growth of 10.8% compared with the equivalent period in 2003. Growth was recorded in every product line (open structure textiles, transfer coating textiles, high tenacity yarns and direct coating textiles). Direct coating was well out in front, with the lion's share of the growth in this product line coming from truck covers.

Activity in the Apparel Division fell slightly (1.5%) during the past nine months. With many new products in the pipelines, we are convinced that this dip is only temporary. This division is seeking to profile itself more intensively as a very technical market player with high value products, whilst simultaneously offering a full product range, from the simplest to the highest value products.

The Processing Division continues to steam ahead, with nine month turnover up 25.2% from the equivalent period in 2003 to EUR 41.6 million.