Trading Update

RNS Number : 1085F

Cookson Group PLC

06 October 2008

 



6 October 2008

CAPITAL MARKETS DAY

THIRD QUARTER TRADING

Cookson Group plc ('Cookson'), a leading materials science company, is tomorrow (Tuesday 7 October) hosting a Capital Markets Day at its Ceramics facility in Borken, Germany. This facility, which principally serves the Foundry market, was acquired as part of the Foseco acquisition in April 2008.

Presentations will be given on the Ceramics division's Foundry activities and markets, followed by a site tour. Copies of the presentations will be available on Cookson's website www.cooksongroup.co.uk from 11.00am tomorrow (UK time).  

Other than the following, no new information on trading or outlook will be provided in these presentations. 

Underlying trading for the Ceramics division (Vesuvius and Foseco together) in the third quarter was ahead of the corresponding period last year (on a pro forma basis for Foseco which was acquired in April 2008). The integration of Foseco is proceeding very well.  

Underlying trading in the Electronics division in the third quarter was slightly below the corresponding period last year, but is broadly in line with last year for the nine month period to September 2008. The Precious Metals division has remained profitable in the quarter.

Although our markets are not immune from the impact of the uncertainty in the financial sector on the wider global economy, overall trading results for the Group for the third quarter showed a strong improvement in performance compared to the corresponding period last year reflecting the addition of Foseco's contribution and continuing currency translation gains.  

A trading update will be issued as part of the Interim Management Statement which is expected to be issued on or around 11 November 2008.  

- ends -

Shareholder/analyst enquiries: Nick Salmon, Chief Executive Mike Butterworth, Group Finance Director Anna Hartropp, Investor Relations Manager	Cookson Group plc Tel: [phone]
Media enquiries: John Olsen/Anthony Arthur	Hogarth Partnership Tel: [phone]

About Cookson Group plc:

Cookson Group plc is a leading materials science company operating on a worldwide basis in Ceramics, Electronics and Precious Metals markets.  

Trading under the Vesuvius and Foseco brand names, the Ceramics division is the world leader in the supply of advanced consumable products and systems to the global steel and foundry industries and a leading supplier of speciality products to the glass and solar industries.

The Electronics division is a world leading supplier of advanced surface treatment and plating chemicals and assembly materials to the automotive, construction and electronics markets.  

The Precious Metals division is a leading supplier of fabricated precious metals (primarily gold, silver and platinum) to the jewellery industry in the US, the UK, France and Spain.  Products include alloy materials, semi-finished jewellery components and finished jewellery.

Forward looking statements

This announcement and the investor presentations to be given on the Capital Markets Day may contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to the operations, performance and financial condition of the Group. By their nature, these statements involve uncertainty since future events and circumstances can cause results and developments to differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements reflect knowledge and information available at the date of the preparation of this announcement and the investor presentations and the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Nothing in this announcement nor the investor presentations should be construed as a profit forecast.

Cookson Group plc, 165 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2AE

Registered in England and Wales No. 251977

www.cooksongroup.co.uk 

 

END

 

 

TSTUOSNRWRRRRAA