Eurocell Delivers Very Strong 2021 Performance

Eurocell plc, a market leading, vertically integrated UK manufacturer, distributor and recycler of innovative window, door and roofline PVC building products have published their 2021 Year End Results. For the purposes of this report, where appropriate we have compared financial and operating performance to 2020 and 2019, with the latter a more meaningful comparator given the disruption in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Financial headlines

• Continued successful deployment of commercial strategies supported by strong underlying demand in our end markets, with revenue up 23% vs 2019, including: 

1. Profiles up 22%: good contribution from trade and new build fabricators, as well as a very strong performance from Vista doors
2. Building Plastics up 24%: excellent performance across full range of manufactured products and traded goods
3. c.8% from selling price increases and a surcharge implemented to recover raw material price inflation

• Surcharge successfully recovered higher raw material costs, but dilutive to gross margin percentage
• Profit before tax up 19% vs 2019, driven by higher sales volumes
• Continued investment in business growth, with capex of £16.7 million including c.£7 million to expand manufacturing capacity, c.£2 million to increase logistics capability and c.£2 million for new branches
• Robust balance sheet and liquidity, with pre-IFRS 16 net debt of £11.0 million (2020: £9.9 million)
• Final dividend proposed of 6.4 pence per share, taking total dividends for the year to 9.6 pence, or £10.8 million

Operational headlines

• Decisive action taken in response to significant supply chain challenges – recovered the impact of unprecedented raw material cost inflation and secured the materials, labour and transport needed to service demand
• Fit-out of new warehouse and next phase of manufacturing capacity expansion completed – key to delivering future improvements in operating efficiencies and margins
• 12 new branches opened in 2021 (of which 4 are new larger format), resulting in a total estate of 219 sites

Sustainability

• Strong performance on sustainability as the leading UK-based recycler of PVC windows:
• Further improvement in proportion of recycled material used to 27% (2020: 25%)
• More than 3 million end-of-life window frames recycled, avoiding landfill and driving a significant carbon reduction (more than 48k tonnes) and substantial cost saving compared to the use of virgin materials
• Commitment to substantial further progress on sustainability, with KPIs published covering the circular economy, emissions and energy management, and social targets
• Received the London Stock Exchange’s Green Economy Mark, awarded to companies that derive more than 50% of revenues from environmental solutions, and reflects contributions to the global green economy
• Supporting PVC sector on sustainable development initiatives

Medium-term ambitions

• 3 to 5 year objectives:
  • Revenue – outperform our markets
  • Recycling – 33% of raw material consumption from recycled material
  • Operating profit margin – targeting improvement of 150bps

Mark Kelly, Chief Executive of Eurocell plc said:

“We entered 2021 well placed to take advantage of the continued recovery in our markets. A very good sales performance has been underpinned by the success of our commercial strategies and high levels of demand in the RMI(4) market, and we are very pleased to report good profit growth and a return to the payment of dividends.

“We expect supply chain constraints to ease over the coming months, and the actions we took last year have ensured we have the resources necessary to operate efficiently and support our growth aspirations for revenue and margins. The RMI sector remains robust, new build continues to grow and customer demand levels are good. With operating constraints resolved, our focus for 2022 will be on delivering improved returns from our strong sales growth.

“Notwithstanding the events in Ukraine and the attendant macroeconomic uncertainties, the year has started well, with sales volumes to the end of February up 6% on 2021. We therefore continue to see good potential to outperform our markets and deliver further progress.”

Source: Insight Team & Eurocell

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