Supplier feedback survey 2008

Regular customer and supplier feedback is crucial for all companies, as well as for Bang & Bonsomer, for guiding the continuous improvement of services. In order to ensure a consistent and easy system for monitoring and managing the customer and supplier feedback we are using an Internet-based information collection software service program.

The first survey was done at the beginning of this year. The survey was delivered randomly via e-mail to key suppliers. The e-mail message contained a secure, respondent-specific link to the system. Respondents answered to the questions in the survey through their own computer.

The overall results obtained in the survey were very positive. Our suppliers consider us as a reliable partner for whom long-term cooperation and quality is important. Also our product and application know-how was appreciated.

Despite the fact that the overall feedback was clearly positive, suppliers also pointed out areas where we should improve. This feedback will help us to focus our improvement actions. For ensuring consistency, we will be asking our suppliers to participate in this survey also next year.

Supplier Feedback survey 2008

Regular customer and supplier feedback is crucial for all companies, as well as for Bang & Bonsomer, for guiding the continuous improvement of services. In order to ensure a consistent and easy system for monitoring and managing the customer and supplier feedback we are using an Internet-based information collection software service program.

The first survey was done at the beginning of this year. The survey was delivered randomly via e-mail to key suppliers. The e-mail message contained a secure, respondent-specific link to the system. Respondents answered to the questions in the survey through their own computer.

The overall results obtained in the survey were very positive. Our suppliers consider us as a reliable partner for whom long-term cooperation and quality is important. Also our product and application know-how was appreciated.

Despite the fact that the overall feedback was clearly positive, suppliers also pointed out areas where we should improve. This feedback will help us to focus our improvement actions. For ensuring consistency, we will be asking our suppliers to participate in this survey also next year.

Bang & Bonsomer, as well as the industry in general, has encountered substantial challenges following the slow-down in demand in Quarter 4/2008 and very volatile exchange rates. Anticipating the changes coming, we started to take measures to mitigate the impact on our business already during Q2 last year. We speeded up restructuring of our Russian operations by closing one of the legal entities. We have been able to significantly reduce our cost base and to streamline the organisation and to divest non-core assets. It’s also worth underlining that redundancies have primarily been made in non-sales departments of the organisation.

Our improvement program has also included the working capital, where significant improvements have been achieved. Inventory is declining steadily and accounts receivables’ rotation is improving despite the fact that constrained credit limits obviously have affected many of our customers. Some smaller clients have already filed for bankruptcy causing us some credit losses, which luckily so far are fairly minor.

The business improvement program is clearly yielding results. Our operational result for the first quarter was positive, although we were still plagued by volatile exchange rates. Following the recent changes in the key exchange rates we have been able to balance our currency portfolio and to reduce future risks.

The market conditions are likely to remain challenging during the coming year(s). We are, however, viewing the future with confidence. We see increasing demand in some segments and regions and we are strongly committed to our strategy to a long-term preferred partner for our customers, suppliers and employees and to provide an efficient and reliable market channel mainly for specialty products in the market regions, which we have chosen.

Johan von Knorring

President, CEO

Bang & Bonsomer’s roots are from Finland. Therefore we promote proudly Finnish ingredients in all our territories.

Recently Business Unit  Personal & Home Care signed distribution agreement with Finnish company   Granula Oy covering Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Baltic States.

Granula

Granula Oy develops, manufactures and refines chemical products and markets them for industries world-wide. Granula Oy also provide measurement services and assistance in  product development.

Granula – Superior sun protection

Granlux is a unique raw material family developed for the new generation of cosmetic and sunscreen products.Granlux is a new, patented, efficient and easy-to-use ultraviolet screen in the form of a solid pre-dispersion. It is based on various uv-filter pigments forming a solid concentrate. Granlux is  non-dusting, self-dispersing when used and stable ensuring long shelf-life.

Danisco( Finnfeeds Finland Oy)

Personal & Home Care SBU has long term collaboration with Danisco (Finnfeeds Finland Oy) offering natural betaine extracted from sugar beet. Based on its specific osmolyte properties betaine is used in various personal care formulations in skin, hair and oral care.

Aromtech

Bang & Bonsomer  also represent Aromtech uniqueArtiCare product line based on Arctic berries and plants. Aromtech offers a kaleidoscope of active principles designed for use in a broad range of personal care, dietetic and functional food applications.

All Finnish origin ingredients belong to our portfolio in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

For more information please contact our sales offices.

Bang & Bonsomer’s roots are from Finland. Therefore we promote proudly Finnish ingredients in all our territories.

Recently Business Unit  Personal & Home Care signed distribution agreement with Finnish company   Granula Oy covering Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Baltic States.

Granula

Granula Oy develops, manufactures and refines chemical products and markets them for industries world-wide. Granula Oy also provide measurement services and assistance in  product development.

Granula – Superior sun protection

Granlux is a unique raw material family developed for the new generation of cosmetic and sunscreen products.Granlux is a new, patented, efficient and easy-to-use ultraviolet screen in the form of a solid pre-dispersion. It is based on various uv-filter pigments forming a solid concentrate. Granlux is  non-dusting, self-dispersing when used and stable ensuring long shelf-life.

Danisco( Finnfeeds Finland Oy)

Personal & Home Care SBU has long term collaboration with Danisco (Finnfeeds Finland Oy) offering natural betaine extracted from sugar beet. Based on its specific osmolyte properties betaine is used in various personal care formulations in skin, hair and oral care.

Aromtech

Bang & Bonsomer  also represent Aromtech uniqueArtiCare product line based on Arctic berries and plants. Aromtech offers a kaleidoscope of active principles designed for use in a broad range of personal care, dietetic and functional food applications.

All Finnish origin ingredients belong to our portfolio in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

For more information please contact our sales offices.

Bang & Bonsomer Technics Oy

One year ago Bang & Bonsomer decided to increase its efforts in the equipments and accessories business. On June 2, 2008, Bang & Bonsomer Technics Oy officially started its activities.The primary market of Bang & Bonsomer Technics is Finland, Scandinavia and the Baltic States.

Bang & Bonsomer Technics is marketing e.g. Graepel’s products for agricultural and construction machinery,stairs,perforated sheet products, profiled safety gratings and other sheet metal products.

For plastic processing Bang & Bonsomer Technics can offer Leister’s welding machines, hand tools and hand extruders. The product range includes also vehicle seats and gas strings as well as equipment for cabin manufacturers.

Bang & Bonsomer Technics Oy has also recently launched own HD-PE and PP welding wires with thickness of 3mm, 4mm and 5mm. They are also manufacturing welding wires in different colours.

More information can be found from Bang & Bonsomer Technics own webpages www.bbtechnics.fi.

Bang & Bonsomer Technics Oy

One year ago Bang & Bonsomer decided to increase its efforts in the equipments and accessories business. On June 2, 2008, Bang & Bonsomer Technics Oy officially started its activities.The primary market of Bang & Bonsomer Technics is Finland, Scandinavia and the Baltic States.

Bang & Bonsomer Technics is marketing e.g. Graepel’s products for agricultural and construction machinery,stairs,perforated sheet products, profiled safety gratings and other sheet metal products.

For plastic processing Bang & Bonsomer Technics can offer Leister’s welding machines, hand tools and hand extruders. The product range includes also vehicle seats and gas strings as well as equipment for cabin manufacturers.

Bang & Bonsomer Technics Oy has also recently launched own HD-PE and PP welding wires with thickness of 3mm, 4mm and 5mm. They are also manufacturing welding wires in different colours.

More information can be found from Bang & Bonsomer Technics own webpages www.bbtechnics.fi.

SBU Paint & Coatings is focused on raw material sales, marketing, technical support and distribution to the paint-, coating- and printing ink industry.

INTERLAKOKRASKA 2009

The 13^th International Specialized Exhibition for paint and coatings “Interlakokraska 2009” will take place 10^th - 13^th of March, 2009 in the trade fair complex Expocenter in Krasnaya Presnya Fair Grounds, Moscow, Russia.

Bang & Bonsomer has already for many years participated as exhibitor at the Interlakokraska fair. We welcome you to visit our booth L 238 in Pavilion 1to discuss and receive the latest information on products and new innovations from our represented principals and suppliers.

Bang & Bonsomer offers a wide range of raw material from leading worldwide manufacturers to be used in various type of paint & coatings and printing inks.

B&B offers e.g. dispersions (EOC), resins (Eliokem), powder coating resins ( DSM ), titanium dioxide (Tronox), rheology modifiers, wetting & dispersing agents, anti-foaming agents (Elementis Specialties), fluoroadditives ( DuPont ), preservatives and biocides (Schulke+), fillers (Microfill), coalescents, cellulose esters, adhesion promoters, specialty solvents (Eastman Chemical), epoxy resin hardeners (Cardolite), colorants (CPS Color), pigments (Sudarshan Chemical Industries),among many other raw material.

Please contact us in order to find out more about SBU Paint & Coatings product range. The contact information of our regional Bang & Bonsomer offices is found under the heading Sales Offices.

SBU Paint & Coatings is focused on raw material sales, marketing, technical support and distribution to the paint-, coating- and printing ink industry.

INTERLAKOKRASKA 2009

The 13^th International Specialized Exhibition for paint and coatings “Interlakokraska 2009” will take place 10^th - 13^th of March, 2009 in the trade fair complex Expocenter in Krasnaya Presnya Fair Grounds, Moscow, Russia.

Bang & Bonsomer has already for many years participated as exhibitor at the Interlakokraska fair. We welcome you to visit our booth L 238 in Pavilion 1to discuss and receive the latest information on products and new innovations from our represented principals and suppliers.

Bang & Bonsomer offers a wide range of raw material from leading worldwide manufacturers to be used in various type of paint & coatings and printing inks.

B&B offers e.g. dispersions (EOC), resins (Eliokem), powder coating resins ( DSM ), titanium dioxide (Tronox), rheology modifiers, wetting & dispersing agents, anti-foaming agents (Elementis Specialties), fluoroadditives ( DuPont ), preservatives and biocides (Schulke+), fillers (Microfill), coalescents, cellulose esters, adhesion promoters, specialty solvents (Eastman Chemical), epoxy resin hardeners (Cardolite), colorants (CPS Color), pigments (Sudarshan Chemical Industries),among many other raw material.

Please contact us in order to find out more about SBU Paint & Coatings product range. The contact information of our regional Bang & Bonsomer offices is found under the heading Sales Offices.

SBU Personal & Home Care is focused on sales, marketing and technical support of innovative ingredients for the cosmetics and household industry. The Business Unit represents high quality chemical manufacturers providing a wide range of products e.g. active and functional ingredients, preservatives, surfactants, natural oils and extracts, silicones, perfumes and oleo chemicals.

According to the research conducted by Comcon in Nov. 2008 almost 28% of consumers started minimizing expenses on cosmetics and home care products. Obviously this tendency will continue and the process will be profitable for national manufacturers, producing good quality products for reasonable prices. At same time it will be more difficult for foreign companies to keep their positions because of currency fluctuations and common unsteadiness.

Bang & Bonsomer has been reliable long-term partner for many personal & home care industry principals and customers. Our task is to bring latest innovations to our customers and adjust the offering according to market needs .

Bang & Bonsomer awarded as the best raw material distributor in Ukraine at InterCHARM

Bang & Bonsomer is also committed to the market through a longer term exhibiting.From year to year we have exhibited at annual professional fairs in Russia and Ukraine.

On January 28-31,2009 at VII International perfumery and cosmetics exhibition InterCHARM Ukraine in Kiev , the organizer of the event awarded Bang & Bonsomerwith Golden medal as the best raw material distributor in Ukraine.

On March 10-12,2009 Bang & Bonsomer will be exhibiting at Interbytchim and Intercosmetics 2009 ,which are traditionally held together, on the ground of Central Exhibition Hall “MANEGE”, in Moscow. Event is for the companies involved in production and trade of the household chemistry, personal care and cosmetics.

We warmly welcome you to meet us at Interbythim & Intercosmetics 2009in Moscow and learn more about Bang & Bonsomer’s full offering for household and personal care.

For more information, please contact Bang & Bonsomer’s Personal & Home Care team. They are happy to help you and answer all the questions you may have. You can contact our regional Bang & Bonsomer offices; the contact information is found under the heading Sales Offices .

SBU Plastics is focused on sales, marketing and technical support of standardand technical thermoplastics, master batches, raw materials and processing aids for plastics converting and manufacturing industry.

One of the Business Unit Plastics biggest principal isSABIC Europe with polyethylene and polypropylene products.

Distribution rights for SABIC Polyethylene portfolio to Bang&Bonsomer in Finland

Bang & Bonsomer’s earlier distribution contract with SABIC Europe covered Baltic countries, Belarus and Russia, later on Kazakhstan was also included to the setup.

As SABIC Europe aims to become the strongest petrochemical company in Europe, they decided to start their own sales office from the beginning of 2009 in Russia and our cooperation in Russia and CIS countries officially ended. However, Bang & Bonsomer have still the opportunity to buy material and offer to the customers as we are now doing in Turkmenistan.

Bang & Bonsomer is still continuing cooperation with SABIC as earlier in Baltic countries and in addition we are now having distribution rights for SABIC polyethylene portfolio in Finland. We will work together with SABIC Nordic office which is located in Copenhagen.

In Finland SABIC can reach via Bang & Bonsomer the group of customers where they otherwise wouldn't have access. Our focus will be on small and medium size customers; LD/LLD film and HD/ LLD molding are the main applications.

For more information, please contact Bang & Bonsomer’s Plastics team. They are happy to help you and answer all the questions you may have. You can contact our regional Bang & Bonsomer offices; the contact information is found under the heading Sales Offices .

Bang & Bonsomer's Feedback Management program

In today's challenging economic world, it is important for every organizational entity to monitor its performance and be well informed.

Bang & Bonsomer Group has started to use Internet-based information collection and feedback management software service “ Digium Enterprise”. The service provides tools for the continuous collection of information, analyzing information, and reacting to changes.

The goal of a Feedback Management program is to monitor Bang &Bonsomer’s relationships with the customers and suppliers on an ongoing basis. As a result of effective data collection and reporting, Bang & Bonsomer will be able to better serve its customers and suppliers and to react to their opinions and to improve business decision making .

SBU Life Sciences business is focused on serving the Food-, Beverage- and Health Food- and Pharma manufacturers. The product range includes safe and high quality ingredients, additivies and raw materials for the dairy -, meat and convenience food-, confectionary-and beverage.

«Ingredients Russia 2008»

The 11th Moscow International Exhibition «Ingredients Russia 2008» will take place from the 25th to the 28th November 2008 in Crocus Expo, Moscow, Russia. Crocus Expo will host the exhibition for the third time. In 2008, Ingredients Russia will be attended by about 350 companies from 27 countries.

Bang&Bonsomer has attended to Ingredients Russia already since year 2000. By visiting Bang&Bonsomer’s boothvisitors willhave the possibility to receive the latest info on products of the following suppliers;

ORAFTI Group is the world market leader in the development and production of food ingredients derived from natural chicory and rice which add value through the delivery of health benefits. Orafti is focused and committed to product innovation, helping manufacturers develop balanced and nutritional food products with a FeelGood factor that consumers are increasingly demanding. Since year 2000 Orafti and Bang&Bonsomer, being the company´s exclusive distributor, have helped food manufacturers develop balanced, healthy and functional food products.

FMC BioPolymer is the market leader in microcrystalline cellulose and carrageenan and is a major supplier of alginate for the food, pharmaceutical and industrial markets. The company’s plants in the United States, Ireland, Norway and the Philippines are ISO certified, reaffirming the company’s commitment to providing an assured supply of the highest quality products and delivering innovative and cost effective solutions. Over the past six years, FMC BioPolymer has expanded its global technical capabilities and breadth of product offerings to deliver the best and innovative solutions to food, pharmaceutical and industrial manufacturers. FMC BioPolymer will feature newest innovations in cooking and whipping creams, beverages, processed cheese, dairy deserts and , specially focused, restructured meat.

TATE&LYLE PLC is a world leading manufacturer of renewable food and industrial ingredients. It uses innovative technology to transform corn and sugar into value-added ingredients for customers in the food, beverage andpharmaceutical industries. The company is a leader in cereal sweeteners and starches, sugar refining, citric acid and value added food and industrial ingredients.

Furthermore, Bang&Bonsomer Life Sciences is also happy to introduce its new partners KEMIN FOODS INGREDIENTS, KERRY INGREDIENTS and HYDRITE CHEMICAL Co and their products as well as all the other products for Healthy Food producers.

For more information, please contact Bang & Bonsomer’s Life Sciences team. They are happy to help you and answer all the questions you may have. You can contact our regional Bang & Bonsomer offices; the contact information is found under the heading Sales Offices .

SBU Industrial Chemicals is focused on selling and sourcing of  basic and specialty chemicals used in a variety of different applications and industries. Our customer may operate in fields such as water treatment, food industry, feed industry, mining industry, metal manufacturing and processing, electronics,chemical processing,  leather, textile and fur industry, power plants, fat, oil and lubricant industries  or site maintenance / cleaning services. We rely on local producers in our geographical markets of  Finland, Baltic countries, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan but  we also import chemicals from Western Europe, China and USA.

Bang & Bonsomer is distributing the Chlor-alkali products of  Finnish Chemicals. Finnish Chemicals is a global supplier of chemical solutions and intermediates to broad range of customers including those in the Pulp and Paper, Life Sciences, Chemical, Crop Protection and Water Treatment industries. Kemira has 100% ownership of  Finnish Chemicals since 2005.

Finnish Chemicals utilizes the membrane electrolysis technology, 'Best Available Technique' (BAT), to manufacture its mercury-free Chlor-alkali products of chlorine, caustic soda, sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloric acid at the Joutseno plant in Eastern Finland. Bang & Bonsomer has caustic soda, sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloride acid available in bulk, returnable IBC containers and returnable 30 L canisters. Your need may vary from a few canisters to thousands of  tons, we are interested to help.

For more information, please contact Sales Director Leo Partanen, GSM +358 40 530 3220, leo.partanen@bangbonsomer.fi.

SBU Industrial Chemicals is focused on selling and sourcing of  basic and specialty chemicals used in a variety of different applications and industries. Our customer may operate in fields such as water treatment, food industry, feed industry, mining industry, metal manufacturing and processing, electronics,chemical processing,  leather, textile and fur industry, power plants, fat, oil and lubricant industries  or site maintenance / cleaning services. We rely on local producers in our geographical markets of  Finland, Baltic countries, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan but  we also import chemicals from Western Europe, China and USA.

Bang & Bonsomer is distributing the Chlor-alkali products of  Finnish Chemicals. Finnish Chemicals is a global supplier of chemical solutions and intermediates to broad range of customers including those in the Pulp and Paper, Life Sciences, Chemical, Crop Protection and Water Treatment industries. Kemira has 100% ownership of  Finnish Chemicals since 2005.

Finnish Chemicals utilizes the membrane electrolysis technology, 'Best Available Technique' (BAT), to manufacture its mercury-free Chlor-alkali products of chlorine, caustic soda, sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloric acid at the Joutseno plant in Eastern Finland. Bang & Bonsomer has caustic soda, sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloride acid available in bulk, returnable IBC containers and returnable 30 L canisters. Your need may vary from a few canisters to thousands of  tons, we are interested to help.

For more information, please contact Sales Director Leo Partanen, GSM +358 40 530 3220, leo.partanen@bangbonsomer.fi.

SBU Construction & Ceramics is focused on serving customers in the ceramics-, premix-, earth moist concrete, gypsum board and concrete industries. SBU Construction & Ceramics provides customers leading edge additives from leading suppliers from all around the World.

FOSROC

FOSROC concrete admixtures and surface treatment products are now available in various stock locations of Bang & Bonsomer Group. 

FOSROC is a leading supplier of construction products with over 70 years of international experience. FOSROC operates over 18 manufacturing companies in Europe, the Middle East and Asia with over 1800 people worldwide.

FOSROC product range includes for example following concrete admixtures and concrete surface treatments:

• Plasticisers   

• Super plasticisers

• Air entrainers

• Foaming agents

• Integral waterproofing

• Polycarboxylates for Precast and Self Compacting Concrete

• Corrosion inhibitors

• Curing compounds

• Surface retarder

• Mould release agents

• Cleaning agents

For more details on Fosroc products, please contact local Bang & Bonsomer Group sales representative.

Bang & Bonsomer's financial year 2007 and outlook for the year 2008

Bang & Bonsomer Group continued its growth pattern also in 2007. The turn-over increased by 15% to 148 M€ and the total sales by 19% to 226 M€. The growth in basically all markets was fuelled by high demand as a result of the unusually strong economic situation. We especially wish to point out the good results achieved by our subsidiaries in Estonia. Also Banmark obtained a very good result. The development in Lithuania, Latvia and Belarus was positive. Sales in Russia increased drastically, but at the same time we had substantial investments in facilities and personnel, which adversely affected the result.

Increasing raw material prices, high cost inflation in emerging markets, IT investments and re-structuring costs, however, took its toll and weakened the group profit, which fell short of the preceding year’s level. 

After a slow start during the first quarter of 2008 the business took off in April. Compared to last year’s performance we are performing better after the first five months. Thanks to strict cost control we have gained on the EBIT and favourable exchange rates have positively affected the profit level. 

The business outlook is, however, becoming somewhat more conservative in the wake of the year. The outlook for some areas, such as construction and paint, is becoming gloomier in most of our markets, except Russia. Increasing interest rates are likely to curb new investments, also in the emerging markets and consumer confidence is likely to decline over the year.

The increasing prices of raw materials, particularly the oil based ones, pose a real challenge for the industry. The higher costs have, obviously, to be passed on along the chain. To pass on several consequential price increases to the customers is a tough task for the sales personnel.

Despite the less positive signs in the economy we still believe that no major slump in the economies will occur during 2008 and that the set targets can be achieved. During the first five months of 2008 we have followed our plan and we count on being able to achieve our goals for the whole year, even though they are challenging. Our main focus for 2008 is to improve the profitability. 

I wish to thank all our customers and suppliers. Have a nice summer and relaxing vacation! 

Johan von Knorring

President, CEO

Bang & Bonsomer has decided to increase its efforts in the equipments and accessories business . Today, June 2, 2008, Bang & Bonsomer Technics Oy has officially started its activities.

 SEK Group Oy’s managing director, Stefan Kevin, is the managing director of the new company, in which Bang & Bonsomer will have 80% of the shares and SEK Group the remaining 20%.  Hannu Kinnunen is the sales manager. Kirsi Ojanen takes care of all the back office activities. 

The company will operate in Bang & Bonsomer’s office facilities at Itälahdenkatu 18 in Helsinki and the primary market will be Finland and, in a later stage, the Baltic countries.