We have the aspiration to be the world’s leading Coatings and Specialty Chemicals company. Our medium-term ambitions are to grow to €20 billion revenue, increase EBITDA each year while maintaining a 13 to 15 percent margin, reduce OWC percent of revenue year-on-year by 0.5 percent towards a 12 percent level, and pay a stable to rising dividend.
The sustainability ambitions are to remain a top three leader in our industry, to be top quartile in our peer group in terms of safety performance, diversity, employee engagement and development, and eco-efficiency improvement rates.
For the year ahead we expect to see the full-year benefit of the price rises that we have been able to achieve, and which now have offset most of the raw material price increases. Currently we are experiencing greater price stability in most raw materials, with the exception of TiO2, which we anticipate will continue to rise in price, and for which we have plans in place to pass through further price rises in the future. In addition, we are moving ahead with the implementation of our Performance Improvement Program which should bring significant benefits in 2012 and beyond, underpinning our margins.
The major uncertainty remains the economic environment. Our concerns are focused on the risk of recession in Europe, delayed recovery of the US property market and the potential for a slowdown in China. Each of these can have a significant impact on our customers in these regions, that would in turn impact our sales volumes. These, together with certain raw materials, remain our principal sensitivities in 2012.
AkzoNobel has a strong portfolio of complementary businesses, with many leading market positions and exposure to growth markets. This, combined with our ongoing management actions, means that we are confident that we can deliver medium-term growth in line with our strategic ambitions.
Amsterdam, February 15, 2012
The Board of management