Industrialists out stronger from the crisis - August 2, 2010
LE FIGARO. – How do you improve your sales and your profits in the first half?
Benoît Potier. – It's an interesting semester. It marks both a recovery in volumes directly linked to the global economy and an upturn in industrial projects. The industry again expressed his interest in the preparation of the future.
We found the pre-crisis levels in virtually all market segments. Only construction accuses six to twelve months behind schedule. Offset restart cycles. Overall, growth in volumes that logically resulted in 10% of our turnover, which grows in all businesses and geographies. However, Air Liquide is one of the industries that were more resistant, with a decline of only 5% in 2009. Moreover, our turnover is 4% higher than the first half of 2008.In this period of euphoria that some groups show up to 30% growth, it is important to see what is the basis for comparison. Our results were up 12% over the same period in 2008.
You can find levels of profitability higher than pre-crisis. Your business has changed significantly in two years?
There is a real disconnect between emerging and mature economies. Our sales increased by 6% in mature economies and 30% in emerging which represent 20% "only" the activity of the group, or two thirds of our growth. In twelve months, the distribution of our investments has changed structurally. It went from 50/50 between emerging and mature to 80/20.However, be careful not to bury the mature markets, growth of 6% is good, there are many industries that satisfied with them.
But to give you an example, our sales in China in the first half of 2010 rose 65% and they had also increased last year. China is catching up with the level of industrialized countries in streamlining its industry. There is no excess production capacity. Typically, we have seen closure of four sites steelmakers, grouped into a larger one. The latter now invests in technology and modern capabilities. All the industrial world benefit.
Chemistry, property and equipment, how do you explain that the whole industry registered a sharp improvement in its growth and profitability?
The crisis has hit so hard that companies do not have any choice.They had to rest fundamental questions about their structures, their capacity, so their exposure to market, their management parameters. I think all industries are now much stronger than before the crisis. Faced with problems of liquidity and access to financing, companies have strengthened their balance sheets. Their debts are either stable – for those who invest and continue to grow, it is the case of Air Liquide – is declining.
What do you recommend to stop the loss of competitiveness of French industry?
It is a vast subject. The ideal solutions for the industry have not yet been found in Europe and in different countries. Whether as a planned or coordinated, it seems that Europe has not sufficiently defined what strategies or industrial sectors in which it wants to occupy a leadership position.It means rather the leaders speak on a national solution, which is logical, but we do not have European body for industrial communication, unlike the U.S., China and Japan which are three countries integrated and better than us in the definition of industrial strategy. We are losing a major card: The strength in unity. In addition it must maintain a production base in Europe, since that's where ideas materialize. Without production, we have more innovation, but only for research.
European standards they penalize the industry?
Europe does not want to be a hindrance, but it seems to suffer from the narrowness of the missions that have been determined in different organs. The European Central Bank is there to control inflation while the Fed has a wider role.The European Commission organizes the market, ensures fluidity but has no mandate to make Europe competitive beyond its borders. It does not take sufficient account of the external markets. The European institutions can improve.
What makes you confident for the end of the year and may be beyond?
The resumption of growth projects. Signing of contracts shows that the client is ready to commit and so are we. Every time we sign a contract, we bring a stone to the growth of 2012-2013, or even 2015.
You do not fear a relapse of the economy?
The answer is clear: no. We have seen nothing that points in the first half as a direct risk. Since the crisis, we follow the weekly volume of gas consumed by our customers.In case of "double deep", it would stop producing customers, making maintenance. This is not the case. The situation is normal. It must occur because the world consumes. We are almost out of the zone of turbulence to go toward growth, even if the signal "attached belt" remains lit.
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