Adelaide-based soda ash & sodium bicarbonate firm Penrice Soda Holdings Ltd said it has signed new soda ash supply contracts to the Australian glass manufacturing and mining industries. The Pilkington contract is a renewal of a successful long-standing soda ash supply partnership for the Victoria and New South Wales glass making operations. Pilkington is one of Penrice's largest, long-standing customers, along with Owens-Illinois and AMCOR. Penrice managing director and chief executive officer Guy Roberts said the Pilkington contract further strengthened the future for the company's leading soda ash supply position in Australia. "Pilkington's recently announced AUD 135 million expansion for its Dandenong plant in Victoria is also a positive development for future soda ash supplies", he said. During the current financial year to 30 June 2007, Penrice says it has prioritised the implementation of a three-year strategy to significantly improve plant integrity, reliability and productivity at all of its operations. Unexpected plant disruptions at the main Osborne plant and a series of one-off costs were the main reasons for reduced first half earnings and dividend reported in February 2007. "While it is pleasing to report some improvement in this area in the current half compared with the first six months of 2006-07, we continue to investigate and implement action aimed at eradicating plant inefficiencies and eliminating other unforeseen and unnecessary costs", Mr Roberts said.
