Dublin-listed Ardagh, which retained Irish glass operations following a demerger earlier this year, has reported pre-tax losses of €2.2m for the first half of the year, compared with €11.7m in the same period year earlier.
The figures include figures from the demerged glass operations, including Rockware in the UK, for the first two months of 2003. These are now owned by a separate company called Ardagh Glass.
Turnover for continuing businesses was €1.8m, compared with €20m a year earlier, reflecting the closure of the Ringsend Irish Glass plant last year. Operating losses for the continuing operations were just under €1m, only marginally lower than a year earlier.
The company says product prices have increased considerably in the Irish market and it is in talks with Ardagh Glass to source glass containers to enable it to attract business from former Irish customers.
Ardagh is still trying to obtain permission to use the Ringsend premises for port related warehousing activities. The case is to be heard in the High Court on December 9. The company has net debt of just over €3m.
