During the General Shareholder’s Meeting held this morning, Mecalux’s Board of Directors approved the accounts for the 2008 financial year, which closed with consolidated sales of 636 million euros, representing a rise of 6% over 2007. In the markets of Southern Europe (Spain, France, Italy and Portugal), invoicing remained stable in 2008, while the growth in the Central and East European markets was very positive, with turnover rising by 30% over 2007. In the American markets of the NAFTA region, sales fell by 3% as a result of the current economic climate, while sales in South America rose by 53%.
American leadership and investment in automation
The strategy to be followed by the Group lies in: the growth of the American market, where it is leader; the investment in R&D; the consolidation of the automation division; and the development of the warehouse management software system, Mecalux Easy.
Moving on, the meeting also looked at the recent purchase of the assets of the companies UFC Interlake Holding Co., United Fixtures Company, Inc., Interlake Material Handling, Inc. and Conco-Tellus Inc. for 30 million dollars. Mecalux has gained four new plants with the purchase of those of Pontiac (Illinois) and Sumter (South Carolina), along with the Mexican subsidiaries of the group, owners of the plants in Mexicali and Matamoros. With this purchase MECALUX has also taken over the sales networks and the industrial property rights of these companies. The American division of MECALUX is now called INTERLAKE MECALUX.