The ceramics arm of UK speciality materials producer Cookson Group PLC, which comprises refractory and foundry leaders Vesuvius and Foseco, showed improvement in the second half of 2009 as the steel industry began to recover.
The division reported a trading profit of £59.5m. ($89m.) compared with £11.4m. ($17m.) in the first half but was still 28% lower year on year.
“This increase was mainly due to higher sales in the Steel Flow Control product line where second half revenue exceeded that in the first half of 2009 by 29%, in line with...