Barlo Plastics transfers production to ensure future growth and profitability

Geel, Belgium (ots/PROTEXT) - Barlo Plastics Europe, announcedthe transfer of the entire production capacity from its Belgiansite to other existing production facilities. Headquarters of theplastics division will remain in Belgium. Following a series of acquisitions in recent years BarloPlastics operates now at nine production locations across sevenEuropean countries. A number of these locations have overlappingproduction capabilities and facilities. To ensure future growthand profitability Barlo Plastics' management designed a 'built tolast' program. All sites commenced the implementation of a consolidation andcost reduction program. In the Belgian site the commercialservices are being reinforced with the creation of a Europeancall center centralizing order input and customer service.Another implication for the Belgian site is the transfer of allproduction lines to other Barlo Plastics manufacturing sites. "The transfer is an important step in Barlo Plastics' strategyto reduce its cost base and to secure our future growth andmarket presence' said Marc Van den Cruyce, Business DevelopmentDirector. "In our Belgian plant we extrude mainly SAN and GPPSsheets. The Western European market for GPPS sheets isstabilizing whereas in central Europe there is still a hugepotential and we expect this demand to continue to grow" statedMarc Van den Cruyce " For SAN sheets the cost structure becamevery important. These factors implied to transfer of the entireBelgian production to 'state of the art' manufacturing sites inNischwitz (Germany) and Pribram (Czech Republic )" he continues. The closing of the Belgian production facilty will have aneffect for 78 of 134 employees. Social agreement has been reachedwith the unions on June 1st for the blue collar workers and onJune 19 for the white collar workers. Customer service, Sales &Marketing, Finance department as well as ICT will remain inBelgium. Barlo Plastics is Europe's foremost supplier of transparentplastic sheet. Key products are: BARLO XT (extruded PMMA), BARLOCAST (cast PMMA), BARLO PC (Polycarbonate), BARLO PS(Polystyrene), BARLO VECTAN (PETG), BARLO SAN (Styrene AcryloNitrile) and BARLO SPC (multiwall Polycarbonate) as well as HIPS,ABS and PP. Headquartered in Geel, Belgium, Barlo Plastics has operatingfacilities in Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Slovakiaand the Czech Republic as well as sales and support operations inall major European countries. Today Barlo Plastics employs morethan 900 people. Barlo Plastics is an operating company of the Irish BarloGroup, a European leader in plastic products and radiators. TheGroup is listed on the London and Dublin stock markets. otsOriginal Text Service: Barlo Plastics Internet:http://www.presseportal.de Contact: Karin Jans InputInternational Tel. +32 12 67 20 02 Fax +32 12 67 20 03 E-mail:karin@inputint.com

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