TenCate has recorded a decline in revenues of 7% in the first quarter of 2014. The lower defence revenues had a considerable effect on profitability, the company reports.

TenCate, however, does not consider the results for the first quarter to be representative of the year as a whole. For the year the group maintains its growth projection in respect of the trend in revenues for the company, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Advanced textiles and composites

The defence-related revenues within the Advanced Textiles & Composites sector decreased sharply in the first quarter of 2014 compared to the first quarter of 2013. Defence-related revenues are expected to recover, based on current orders and orders that are expected, according to the company.

Revenue growth was recorded within TenCate Protective Fabrics in the first quarter in the market for emergency response and for industrial safety (TenCate Tecasafe Plus).

Activities in automotive and industrial composites made a significant contribution to the growth in revenues of the TenCate Advanced Composites sector.

Geosynthetics and grass

TenCate Geosynthetics achieved limited revenue growth in Europe and the American continents. In Asia the market for infrastructure projects remained depressed, as a result of lower government budgets and local political uncertainty.

Global fibre production at TenCate Grass achieved growth in revenues and higher profitability as a result of recovering market demand for high-grade fibres, in part due to a shift in the mix towards high quality products.

The costs that were entailed in the development of the GreenFields marketing and sales organisation in the United States put downward pressure on the Grass downstream activities.

Royal Ten Cate

TenCate is a multinational company that combines material technology with chemical processes in the development and production of functional materials with distinctive characteristics, with the mission of Protecting People.

Systems and materials from TenCate come under six end markets: personal protection; defence; mobility; infrastructure; water management; sport and recreation.

TenCate occupies leading positions in protective fabrics, composites for aerospace, antiballistics, geosynthetics and synthetic turf.

www.tencate.com