Growth at home and abroad

The Kesko subsidiary Rautakesko records an increase of 23 per cent in the first six months of the current year compared with January to June 2002. The building materials and DIY retail division of the Finnish group of companies recorded combined sales of € 474.1 mio, of which € 123.6 mio was generated outside Finland. This is double the amount (100.8 per cent) recorded one year previously. Since 13 March the sales of Senukai, the Lithuanian hardware and builders’ merchant business taken over by Rautakesko, have been fed into the figures. However, at home as well Rautakesko has achieved growth of 8.2 per cent on volume sales of € 350.5 mio.