They make up Skellerup’s Agri division, which lifted earnings before interest and tax (Ebit) by 13% to $9.53 million in the six months to December 31, on revenues up 17% at $43m.
Skellerup is benefiting from developing innovative and high-quality products, playing an important part in maintaining milk quality and animal hygiene, Mair said.
International sales are strong and the New Zealand market solid after a very strong finish to the 2107 full-year trading.
Agri is the smaller of the group’s two divisions, with the mainly overseas-based Industrial business having much higher sales and also moving ahead on Ebit in the latest half-year. It had sales up 21% at $73.7m and Ebit up 40% at $10m.
The Agri division still has higher margins for the group.
Skellerup made an after-tax profit of $11.7m for the half-year, a 31% gain over the same time a year earlier. Operating cashflow rose 52% to $14.8m.
An interim dividend of 4c will be paid, up from 3.5c previously.
Chairwoman Liz Coutts said Skellerup expects an after-tax profit in the $24.5m to $26m range for the full year. Last year’s profit was just over $22m.
