Consolidated sales for the second quarter 2018 totaled €99.3 million, up 4% on the same period of 2017. According to the company the decrease in the Lead segment sales is due to the scheduled maintenance shutdown and a current slowdown in production linked to the adaptation phase to the smelter’s new configuration. The company reports a solid performance in the Zinc segment on the back of the rise in zinc prices as a strong increase in the Special Metals segment’s sales and small decline in the Plastics segment’s sales. The pursuance of the reduction furnace’s hot commissioning, started end of June 2018 and to last several weeks.
Sebastian Rudow, Chairman and CEO of the Recylex Group, commented: “The Recylex group sales’ decrease for the first six months of 2018 reflects the deep transition period we are experiencing in our lead segment. The construction works of the Lead segment’s reduction furnace were finished on time. As planned, its hot commissioning has started end of June and is currently on going. This key phase requires to perform complete set of tests and to make technical adjustments, therefore it will last several weeks. In this context, the Group is focussing on its working capital requirements. Commissioning such an innovative furnace is a key challenge for us and the ramp-up phase of the reduction furnace’s production, currently planned during the third quarter of 2018, shall only start after the successful ending of this hot commissioning phase.”
