Material supplier reports £1.9bn in sales for 2006

Sales at material supplier SIG rose 17% in 2006 to £1.9bn.

The results include the sale of the US business for £65m. Underlying pre-tax profit is expected to be at least £115m, slightly ahead of analysts’ forecasts.

In a statement to the stock exchange the company said that sales in the UK and Ireland, which account for 65% of turnover, increased by approximately 14% in 2006.

In mainland Europe sales grew by around 27% thanks in part to an increased demand in Germany

Looking to 2007, SIG said it expected the market for thermal insulation to benefit from the recent change to Part L of the Building Regulations.