[Spain] Vidrala - Focus On Cost And Efficiencies

Spanish-based container glass maker Vidrala, with plants also in Portugal and Italy, has been focusing on cost control and better production efficiencies to counter the effects of high energy prices. In the first 9m of 2006, glass production grew 3.5%, while net sales rose 3.6% to Euros 234.7M. Higher costs of energy, raw materials and distribution contributed to a cost increase of nearly 20M Euros over the same period. The company is also working to progress the integration of its recently-acquired from OI plants in Span and Italy, and on reaping synergies and economics of scale. Pre-tax profits in the first 9m of 2006 rose 4.58% to 55.63M Euros as a result of these efforts and of price increases.