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Natural / Engineered Stone Company News

Marshalls' half-year sales up 11% to £199million
, By Eric Bignell

Hard landscaping specialist Marshalls saw income increase 11% compared with the same period last year to £199million in the six months to the end of June. The Group says in a statement published on 6 July that it continues to experience strong order intake that should continue the growth into the rest of the year.

Sales to the public sector and commercial end market, which now represent approximately 64% of Marshalls' sales, were up 15% compared with the six months of 2014. The Group continues to target those parts of the market where higher levels of growth are anticipated – as rail, newbuild housing, water management and street furniture.

Sales to the Domestic end market, which represent approximately 30%, were also up. They saw growth of  4%. The survey of domestic installers at the end of June 2015 revealed order books of 12 weeks (2014: 11.5 weeks) compared with 10.6 weeks at the end of April, indicating growing demand.

Continued progress has been made in developing the international business, with overseas earnings up 7%. This now represents 6% of Marshalls' sales.

The group forecasts further growth ahead. The Construction Products Association's Spring Forecast predicts growth in UK market volumes of 5.5% this year and 4.0% next year and Martyn Coffey, Chief Executive of Marshalls, says: "We are continuing to invest in the further development of the Marshalls' brand across all of the Group's businesses, as well as in product innovation and service delivery initiatives to deliver continued sales growth, improved trading margins and increased return on capital employed."

About Marshalls:

Marshalls was established in the late 1880s and is today the UK's largest manufacturer of natural stone and concrete hard landscaping products, supplying the construction, home improvement and landscape markets.

Marshalls is a PLC operating its own quarries and manufacturing sites throughout the UK, including a national network of manufacturing and distribution sites, and has operations in Belgium and sales representation in other international markets.