Pilkington Targets China And Russia

Pilkington has announced plans to expand internationally after a 26% increase in pre-tax profits. The company said that free cashflow during the next two years would be invested in starting businesses in untapped markets such as China and Russia. "We have sorted the business out and now it is very competitive," said Stewart Chambers, CE. "We have a fit balance sheet and will now put cash towards growth. There will be a mix towards investing in our current businesses and investing in new markets. China and Russia are number one, the India and the Middle East." A cost cutting campaign has helped the glass manufacturer's pre-tax profits. It also paid off £92M of debt during the year.