25/10/05 Brambles says Q1 profits, sales ahead of last year

Brambles Industries Ltd , the world's biggest pallet supplier, said on Tuesday sales and profits in the first three months of its financial year to end-September were well ahead of last year.

The logistics group also said in a trading update that its CHEP unit had performed strongly in each region during the three-month period, with sales in Europe up 5 percent.

- Pallet supplier Brambles Industries (Berlin: BR2.BE news) says earnings in the three months to September were 'well ahead' compared to the same time a year before.

The group said CHEP performed strongly in each region in the first three months of the year. In particular CHEP Americas sales were 10% higher than the year before.

"Overall, Brambles expects to make further good progress in profit in the year ahead, with CHEP expected to continue to perform particularly well," said Brambles in a company statement.

The group says further solid cash generation is expected for the full year.

The sale of Cleanaway Germany should be completed early next year, subject to approval from the relevant competition authorities in Europe, Brambles added.