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2003 a record year for HELM

PRESS RELEASE

2003 A RECORD YEAR FOR HELM

  1. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

    Despite an adverse economic and political environment this family owned company has attained the best ever results in its 103-year history.

    All the various business units of the world-wide HELM Group recorded notable increases in sales and earnings.

    The petrochemicals, fine chemicals and fertilizer units deserve special mention.
      
  2. FIGURES FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2003

    Turnover
    - HELM world-wide
      3,458 million euro (prior year 2,783m) - up by 24.2%
    - External sales consolidated for Group
      1,901 million euro (prior year 1,640m) - up by 15.7%
     
    Earnings
    - Group earnings from ordinary business activities
      42.4 million euro (prior year 27.0m) - up by 57%
    - Net Group profit for year
      33.6 million euro (prior year 18.9m) - up by 77%

    The company's own resources rose by 25 million euro and stand at 109 million euro (prior year 84 million) as per 31.12.2003.
     
    HELM Group sales by sector:
    - Chemicals 52%
    - Fertilizer 32%
    - Fine chemicals 16%

    World-wide markets by weight:
    - Europe 62%
    - America 22%
    - Asia 13%
    - Africa/Oceania 3%
     
  3. SUPERVISORY BOARD

    For 2004 the members of the Supervisory Board are as follows:

    - Mr. Ulrich Ellerbeck, Chairman
      Executive board member, HSH-Nordbank AG, Hamburg

    - Dr. Werner Kleinloh
      RAG Aktiengesellschaft, Essen

    - Mr. Friedrich-Wilhelm Hempel
      Managing Partner
      F.W. Hempel & Co. Erze & Metalle (GmbH & Co.), Düsseldorf
     
  4. FINANCIAL YEAR 2004

    2003 was a year that set all-time records and so it was not realistic to expect to see a further increase in earnings for the current financial year.

    Following four very good years the world-wide HELM Group has established such a firm position in terms of products and sales that we are counting on returning very good results in 2004. The current projection is that earnings for the year will fall between the figures for the very good year 2002 and the record year 2003.
     
  5. HELM INVESTING

    For the period 2004-2009 it is planned to invest around 65 million euro in expanding the global marketing organization, developing new products and securing or expanding the distribution channels.

    Concrete plans include:

- Expansion of the distribution function agrochemicals in

  • Helm Polska Sp.zo.o., Warsaw
  • Helm Agro U.S. Inc., Memphis
  • Helm de Mexico S.A., Mexico City
  • Helm do Brasil Mercantil Ltda., Sao Paulo
  • Helm Argentina S.r.l., Buenos Aires

- Building up the chemicals distribution organization in China

- Expanding the local sales offices for chemicals in

  • Oslo/Norway
  • Manchester/England
  • Bordeaux/France
  • Gulf region/Mexico
  • Participation in producing company, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Participation in producing company, Oman

24 May 2004
H E L M   A G