IFCO pallet with produce

Reusable packaging solutions expert IFCO has announced that it remained on what it has described as a 'sustainable and profitable growth path' in 2010, with revenues, operational profit and operating cash flows all reaching record levels last year.

Currency-adjusted group revenues grew 9.1 per cent to US$785.4m (€561m) through the 12-month period, IFCO said, while earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) jumped 20.1 per cent to US$149.7m (€107m).

'Retailers worldwide are strengthening their emphasis in reusable plastic packaging solutions to lower the environmental impact and improve their supply chain efficiency,' IFCO noted. 'As a result, our RPC business has enjoyed strong demand for our reusable packaging solutions.'

As a result, RPC Management Services delivered 'significant gains' in currency-adjusted revenues of 18.3 per cent, while EBITDA climbed 20.4 per cent on 2009.

Yearly revenues in the Pallet Management Services segment dropped by 1.3 per cent, meanwhile, while gross profit (up 4.2 per cent) and EBITDA (up 10.3 per cent) grew year-on-year.

Looking ahead, IFCO said that its current assessment of markets and its business development should lead to overall significant gains in both revenues and operational profitability by the end of 2011.