2004 most successful year so far

The tesa group has concluded fiscal 2004 with its best ever operating profit. Sales increased by 5.4 % to € 706 million at constant exchange rates despite of a continueing economic slowdown and adjusted for the sale of a smaller business segment in the USA. Based on Euro sales grew by 3.9 %. Thus, growth was clearly above the market development. At the same time tesa posted an overproportional gain in earnings of 43 %.

The industrial business in particular developed positively contributing 70 % to the overall turnover. Sales increased by 7.5 % (5.3 % in Euros). The consumer business most strongly suffering from reluctance in consumer spending developed satisfactorily with an increase in sales of 1.4 % adjusted for currency exchange effects.

The strongest growth by region in fiscal 2004 was again achieved in Asia / Pacific with an increase of 18.9 % (13.5 % in Euros). This region's share in total sales increased to 12.9 % (previous year: 12.0 %).