The UK gases company BOC Group PLC has reported results for the six months to 31 March 2001. Profit before tax excluding exceptional items was 244.3 million, up 16% on a constant currency basis, whil…
The UK gases company BOC Group PLC has reported results for the six months to 31 March 2001. Profit before tax excluding exceptional items was 244.3 million, up 16% on a constant currency basis, while earnings per share were 33.0p up 10% on the same basis. Turnover was 2126.0 million up 13% on a constant currency basis. Record free cash flow for the six months showed strong growth continuing in Process Gas Solutions (bulk and tonnage gases) and that Industrial and Special Products (cylinder gases and equipment) held up well despite a manufacturing downturn in the US and Australia. In addition, Ms. Julie Baddeley has recently been appointed as non-executive director of The BOC Group with immediate effect. She was previously a board member of Woolwich plc, responsible for e-commerce, information technology and human resources, until its acquisition by Barclays in 2000. She is currently a member of the Audit Commission, a non-executive director of two venture capital trusts and an associate fellow of Templeton College, Oxford.