Low & Bonar reveals new chief executive as H1 sales rise

6th Jun 2014 07:31

High performance materials group Low & Bonar announced a new boss and forecast first half sales 10% ahead of last year.Low & Bonar, which makes textiles for industrial uses such as preventing ground pollution in landfill sites, said Australian Brett Simpson would succeed Steve Good as Chief Executive on September 8th.Simpson worked for 23 years with the Dow Chemical Company and was Chief Executive of Belgium-based LBC Tank Terminals Group from 2009 to 2014.Good will retire from the company on September 30th to pursue non-executive roles.Chairman Martin Flower said Simpson's experience in general management, marketing and commercial and production roles in chemicals and plastics would benefit the company.Low & Bonar said its civil engineering and building products sales in the first half were significantly ahead of a weak performance a year earlier.Industrial and leisure sector sales also grew strongly, but overall demand was more muted in flooring and automotive markets despite good progress in Asia Pacific.PW