The company Xella, manufacturer of aerated concrete Ytong, increased its revenues by 33 percent

Hrušovany near Brno (Brno Region) - The manufacturer of building aerated concrete Ytong, company Xella CZ, reported record revenues of over two billion crowns for the past year, representing a year-on-year increase of 33 percent. The volume of production rose by 23 percent compared to 2006, with the company supplying more than one million cubic meters of masonry to the domestic market. The company expects similar developments in the next two to three years, said marketing director Igor Forberger to ČTK today.
    "The Czech market is influenced by the Polish market, where the economy and construction are currently growing sharply," Forberger said. The year-on-year increase in the sales of Ytong aerated concrete even more than doubled the growth of construction production in the Czech Republic. According to Forberger, this corresponds to the current trend in construction, where the popularity of modern materials is increasing. "Builders are willing and able to pay for goods with above-standard thermal technical properties. They prefer products made from natural raw materials and materials that will bring them long-term energy savings," Forberger said.
    The domestic factories of Xella operated last year at the limit of their production capacities, yet they could not meet the demand in the market. Around six percent of total sales had to be secured through imports from Germany. "We do not plan to build a new plant. It would be a relatively large investment, and for a new factory, you additionally need a favorable market forecast not for three or five years, but for at least 15," Forberger added. Therefore, the company expects to cover the increased demand this year, as it did last year, through imports of goods from foreign branches.
    Xella CZ produces in Hrušovany near Brno, Chlumčany in the Plzeň region, and Horní Počaply in the Mělník region, employing a total of 350 people. In addition to aerated concrete, the company also produces limestone-sand blocks, gypsum-fiberboards, and insulation boards. It belongs to the international group Xella International GmbH, which, with 7,400 employees and a turnover of 1.2 billion euros, is one of the leading companies in the European construction materials market.