In the customer group comprising concrete producers we achieved again a sharp gain in sales. As in the previous year the advance in sales was mainly driven by Sika® ViscoCrete® admixture technology. Success was spurred by coming up with better economic and technical properties than traditional product generations make available. Our approach focuses on minimizing production complexities for the customer and reducing the cost of concrete production by optimizing workability and curing throughout production and application processes.
Thus, in 2005 Sika introduced Sika® ViscoCrete®-25 MP, a highlyeffective superplasticizer for concrete. It further optimizes the combination of longer workability and faster curing. These advantages, especially well received in the United States, led to the addition of numerous new ready-mix concrete as well as precast concrete customers. Sika® ViscoCrete® allows customers to reduce not only quality shortcomings in processing, but also to rely on more economic concrete production raw materials and – thanks to shorter curing cycles – to raise capacity in precast element production. In response to growing demand, Sika put new production plants on line in Australia.
To cope with ever-growing logistics challenges facing the use of concrete in tunneling projects Sika® ViscoCrete® technology has now also been improved for that sector. Equally successful were the shotcrete systems used in mining, thanks in the final analysis also to our strategic alliance with Putzmeister, a specialist in this area.
In the customer group comprising contractors, sales increased markedly. Gains were registered in all market segments (elastic bonding and sealing, industrial flooring, roofing membranes, repair and protection and waterproofing).
Success in these markets is driven mostly on projects requiring total system solutions (roof to floor, key account management, key project management). Decisive factors in the customer’s choice are our capabilities to supply identical product quality quickly worldwide at costs in line with the market and furnish the associated processing equipment as a means of conforming optimally to the respective quality demands. Being close to customers and processors also enables us to develop new application methods in response to specific problems.
That was proven, for instance, in the market introduction of Sika Bond®-T52FC/-T54 FC, an adhesive system for wooden flooring, together with SikaBond® Dispenser-5400. These unique new environmental-friendly adhesives, applied with an ergonomicallydesigned applicator, provide installers with value-added improvements since the quick-curing allows for quicker installations. Major flooring projects, including the Allianz Arena, a stadium in Munich, and the community center in Århus, Denmark, bear witness to our leadership in elastic bonding of wooden floors.
Applying roof-to-floor marketing concepts, we won additional orders for large projects in the automobile, semi-conductor and electronic industry in Taiwan, China, Ireland, Germany and the United Kingdom; for retail and logistics projects in Korea, China, United Kingdom and Poland as well as for big parking garages and arenas in Germany, Austria, United Kingdom and Poland.
In new construction Sikaplan®G, a proven PVC membrane for sealing large roof expanses installed with mechanical fasteners, contributed significantly to the growth in waterproofing of buildings.
In the realm of pre-stressed concrete structures, we participated in numerous large bridge projects in the United States and China as well as the construction of wind turbine towers in Germany, India and Brazil. We achieved new overall solutions for bonding precast concrete elements in the construction of new structures, bridges and towers, based on the introduction of new auxiliary products such as the SikaGrout®-300 PT injection mortar in combination with proven Sikadur®-31 SBA structural adhesives for assembling precast elements.
In the tunneling business Sika was awarded numerous projects including waterproofing of a new contract section of the Gotthard Tunnel in the Swiss Alps as well as a subway expansion project in Brazil.
Having acquired Fosroc New Zealand Sika is now the market leader in construction sealants in the Pacific region. By purchasing Polyment KIB (construction engineering) from the Maxit Group in Germany we reinforced our foremost market position in this sector. The acquisition of Sarna Polymer Holding Inc. in Switzerland will, within the area of waterproofing roofs, secure global market leadership in plastic roofing. Markets in China and the United States are now to be supplied from local production facilities.
 More about Distribution Business 
In our business with wholesale and retail distributors we again registered two-digit sales gains and achieved another increase in market share compared to the preceding year. Added channels of distribution such as home centers, hardware stores and dealers in wood flooring propelled the overall sales expansion. The broadbased growth involved practically all our companies throughout the world. Nearly all of them were ahead in sales compared to the prior year. Business proceeded very successfully in such emerging markets as China, India and Eastern Europe. Sika continues this expansion by acquiring new accounts with retail outlets. One of the major reasons for working with Sika is the company’s globespanning presence. Wherever key customers may locate, Sika is positioned to supply well-known Sika quality products.
End customers appreciate quality and innovative solutions.We trace our success to a product range known for its adherence to professional quality standards. This includes the Sikaflex® line, a topperforming sealant and an adhesive that bonds excellently to many types of surfaces. Sold extremely successfully in all world markets these products possess outstanding brand recognition and acceptance internationally. The potential of Sikaflex® has not been exhausted by any means. Our polyurethane technology is also being received well in the flooring trade. SikaBond® is popular for installing all types of wood floors.
Sika AnchorFix®, a high quality anchoring adhesive launched worldwide, continues to post sharp sales gains on account of its quality and unique packaging. Sika Mix&Go®, an all-inclusive solution for minor mortar repairs won the «World Packaging Award» for Sika in 2004 and is now on display at most major retailers. Initial sales have been strong.
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