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Huhtamaki boosted by improved first-half results

Finnish plastic and food service packaging group Huhtamaki has posted improved results for the first half of the year.

The company said that all business segments were affected by increasing raw material prices but sales had improved due to favourable currency exchanges and "improved price and product mix management".

Net sales were at EUR970.2m, up 3% from the same period last year.

Flexible packaging accounted for 26% of those sales; the division posted figures of EUR 257.2m, compared to EUR239.3m in 2009.

The films division also recorded a 4% increase in net sales of EUR83.3m.

Huhtamäki said that it anticipated that the full year was likely to be better than 2009 although general economic and market conditions for the second half of 2010 remained uncertain.

"The group sis in a good financial position to address growth opportunities in stronghold segments when they arise," Huhtamäki said.