(AOF) – Poujoulat generated a turnover for the first quarter, up 8.5% to 75.68 million euros, compared to the same period last year. Frédéric Coirier, CEO of the flue pipe specialist, declared: “The results of this first quarter allow us to reaffirm our initial growth objectives of between 5 and 7% of turnover, after an exceptional 2022/2023 financial year. However, we remain vigilant as to the evolution of the real estate market which could impact us in the “chimneys” branch.
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Lack of visibility
The National Union of Quarry and Building Materials Industries (Unicem) indicates that, after an initial downturn in the second quarter, activity continued to deteriorate in the third quarter and recorded a drop as much for aggregates (-1.3 %) than on ready-mixed concrete (-0.9%). Over the first nine months of the year, the decline was 2% for the materials business as a whole. Only tiles and bricks manage to show slight increases in activity.
The general outlook is deteriorating and recruitment difficulties and rising costs are the main sources of concern. Furthermore, Unicem underlines the difficulties in implementing the projects. The production of materials could decline this year by 3% for ready-mixed concrete (BPE) and 4% for aggregates.