Utenos Trikotažas kept sales steady after 3 years of growth and operated profitably

 The textile producer, Utenos Trikotažas Group operated by SBA, had 30.79 million euros consolidated sales in 2019, slightly more than in the previous year when revenue was 30.46 million euros.   Revenue of the company Utenos Trikotažas taken separately maintained the level of 2018 sales and amounted to 26.98 million euros. The functional-technical garment-maker Šatrija achieved revenue growth of 9.1%, with product sales of 3.69 million euros during the year.  The Utenos Trikotažas group had a pre-tax net profit last year of 759 000 euros. The EBITDA for the group totalled 1.717 million euros, or 15.5% less than in 2018.  Changes in export markets 

Exports accounted for 79.8% of the group’s total sales last year. In Utenos Trikotažas’s main export region – the German-speaking countries (DACH) – sales grew by 21%, while in the Nordic countries order volumes decreased by 32.7%. In Lithuania, sales of the group’s products were 8.4% more than in 2018.

 “After three years in a row of double-digit growth, last year Utenos Trikotažas faced the effects of a slowing European economy, which led to smaller order volumes and changes in contract-manufacturing export markets. Thanks, though, to new technological solutions, we managed to strengthen our position significantly in our main export region, the German-speaking DACH countries. Double-digit growth of exports in the fourth quarter helped offset losses in the Nordic market and maintain the level of 2018 sales,” says Utenos Trikotažas CEO Petras Jašinskas. 

According to the CEO, the company’s priorities will not change this year – Utenos Trikotažas will continue to strengthen its position in the manufacture of higher value-added products. “This year we’ll aim to increase sales and operating profitability, focusing efforts on what successful clients value most: technologies for developing new materials, production flexibility and speed, and leadership in the area of sustainable manufacturing,” Petras Jašinskas adds.

 Sales of own brands increased 

The group’s own brands, UTENOS and ABOUT, grew thanks to successful e-commerce activity and a growing network of physical stores. Sales of the products in 2019 grew 4.7% to 4 million euros. At the end of last year there were 19 Utenos Trikotažas-branded stores in Lithuania, most of which operated on a franchise basis.