Global specialty chemicals supplier Cognis achieved net external sales of €2,384 million in the first nine months of 2005, an increase of 2.7% on the first three quarters of 2004.

All Strategic Business Units (SBUs), except Process Chemicals, posted sales that exceeded the nine-month figures for 2004, with Care Chemicals and Nutrition & Health both achieving significant growth in sales. As a whole, the Cognis group’s organic net external sales (sales adjusted for the effects of currency fluctuations, acquisitions and divestments) were 4% higher than the previous year.

Process Chemicals’ nine-months-sales decreased 13.9% to €268 million. Half of the decrease in sales resulted from the disposal of the PVC stabilisers business effective July 1, 2004. The rest is a result of sales decreases in the textile business, whereas the leather and plastics businesses remained stable.

With total sales of €332 million, Oleochemicals achieved sales growth of 3.8%.