Ceram on the Acquisition Trail After Recession Boosts Profits

Oct. 19, 2012 - PRLog -- MATERIALS technology group Ceram is on the lookout for acquisitions after delivering a 79 per cent increase in net profits.

Turnover at Staffordshire-based The Ceram Group (http://www.ceram.com/) rose to £12.72 million in the 12 months to the end of April – an increase of 8 per cent on 2010/2011.

Net profits increased 79 per cent to £717,000, and now the business is working with advisors Grant Thornton to find suitable acquisitions.

The group specialises in materials, innovation (http://www.ceram.com/services/innovation/) and sustainability consultancy and testing across a range of sectors including medical devices, aerospace, defence, construction, ceramics and pharmaceuticals.

Ceram (http://www.ceram.com/) and its subsidiary CICS (http://www.cicsglobal.com/) operate out of the group’s Stoke-on-Trent headquarters, and the business also has operations in Leeds in the UK as well as Texas, New York State and South Carolina in the US.

Ceram tests, analyses and develops new materials on behalf of companies across the world, while CICS specialises in sustainability services such as verifying carbon and water footprints and helping businesses gain and retain ISO certification.

Tony Kinsella, chief executive of The Ceram Group, said: “In a way, the economic downturn has helped us.

“Companies are looking at ways of using less material or using different materials that can deliver more.

“They are also looking to save energy, reduce emissions and thus improve their sustainability. All of these help to cut spend, and demonstrating environmental responsibility is becoming an increasingly important marketing tool.

“A good example of this is ‘lightweighting (http://www.ceram.com/services/lightweighting/)’. We’re working with a number of companies to help them find ways of using less material without affecting product performance. This has knock-on effect on inbound costs, energy usage and distribution spend.”

Healthcare is now the group’s biggest sector after revenues increased 14 per cent over the period. Mr Kinsella said this year’s figures are likely to be boosted by work on materials that release drugs in a controlled way and bone replacement implants that improve healing times.

The 2011/2012 US results were helped by a three-year, £640,000 contract to verify the emissions of airlines.

Mr Kinsella added: “We’re looking to acquire complementary testing businesses as well as businesses that can add to our materials expertise in technologies such as polymers.”

The Ceram Group employs 190 scientists and engineers, 140 of them in Stoke-on-Trent.

Sara Williams, chief executive of the North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Ceram is another great example of North Staffordshire concentrating on the opportunities that are around and doing well internationally.

“Ceram embodies the spirit of North Staffordshire business and has exactly the sort of attitude that will drive the local economy forward.”

http://www.ceram.com

Ends

Press release issued by David Johnson, Shepherd PR. For more information, or to arrange an interview, please email david@shepherd-pr.com or call 01335 368020.

About Ceram

Ceram is an independent, international materials technology company that focuses on innovation, sustainability and quality assurance of materials.

Headquartered in Staffordshire, UK, and with approved laboratories around the world, Ceram solves product and process challenges across a range of materials to help clients improve performance, comply with regulations and develop their sustainability performance in order to gain a competitive advantage and increase profitability.

Ceram operates in a wide variety of sectors around the world.

Experts from Ceram are happy to comment on relevant issues including innovation and sustainability.