Strong growth

Rautakesko is in a position to report sales up by 30.2 per cent to € 1 162 mio for the first six months of 2005. The increase in Finland came to 6.8 per cent more than the same period last year. In the other countries (Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Norway) the increase came to 75.2 per cent. Sales of the Russian Stroymaster chain and the Norwegian Norgros have been included in the group's total sales since their acquisition in July. The international share now amounts to 46 per cent.