Australia: Fletcher Building is considering selling its insulation business, which could see the manufacturer of Pink Batts get a new owner. The company said that further asset sales were on the cards, although it did not specify insulation.
"Fletcher Building is undertaking an ongoing review of its business portfolio with a focus on lifting operational and financial performance and pursuing organic growth. The review process invariably leads to speculation on a range of possible outcomes. The company is aware of its continuous disclosure obligations and will promptly communicate to the market if or when there are substantive matters required to be disclosed," said a statement from Fletcher Building.
Fletcher holds its insulation assets, Tasman Insulation and Fletcher Insulation, in its light building products division. Fletcher Building has a market capitalisation of US$3.45bn and it is Australasia's biggest supplier of building and construction materials. These include laminates, cement, pipes and roofing. It has just won the New Zealand International Convention Centre contract in Auckland, as well as the contract to build Precinct Properties' US$396m, 38-level Downtown Tower at the foot of Queen St on the waterfront.
Fletcher Building's Chief Executive Mark Adamson made it clear at the 2015 annual meeting that he had not bought any new assets since starting in the job, but had instead been dealing with the difficult legacy of selling businesses that were either underperforming or not up to expectations. "In my time in the job, we have not made one single acquisition," said Adamson. "I have had to deal with what we have today. Profitability is improving, maybe not as fast as anyone would like."
