Croda boosted by demand for wonder products

Speciality chemicals maker Croda International posted an 11 per cent jump in full year profit, helped by a strong performance at its personal care business, which makes ingredients for skin, hair and cosmetic products for multinational firms such as L'Oreal, Estee Lauder and Boots.
Sales at Crodas largest personal care business rose 11 percent to 467mSales at Crodas largest personal care business rose 11 percent to 467m
Sales at Crodas largest personal care business rose 11 percent to 467m

The Snaith-based firm is busy creating new wonder products that firms use to develop anti-wrinkle creams, hair straightening/ curl retaining hair care products and moisturisers, shampoos and conditioners that help prevent sun damage.

Other new products include products to reduce the greyness in hair or even increase it if people want to have a uniform hair colour.

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Croda recently formed a new partnership with Leeds-based firm Glassflake to produce make-up and lipsticks that provide a consistent and longer lasting colour.

Croda's chief executive Steve Foods described the deal as "an exclusive partnership that brings two Yorkshire companies together".

The chemicals firm reported a record adjusted pre-tax profit of £320m in 2017, up from £288m a year earlier.

Croda said sales grew by 10.4 per cent to £1.37bn in 2017.

The company has focused on organic growth in premium markets and acquisitions to boost profit and sales - both of which rose for the third year in a row.

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Sales at Croda’s largest personal care business, which makes ingredients for skin, hair, sun protection and colour cosmetic products, rose 11 percent to £467m.

Total sales at its core businesses, which include life sciences and performance technologies, rose 11.4 per cent to £1.25bn.

Analyst Adam Collins at Liberum said: "Croda's 2017 results were bang in line with expectations at the sales, EBIT and pre-tax profit level.

"As always the outlook is fairly non committal - progress is expected but no quantitative guidance predicted."

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Mr Foots said the life sciences business is in "very good shape".

"We make clever ingredients to improve the yield of insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. They are classic crop products that farmers apply to their crops."