MANAGEMENT’S REVIEW
Volumes and prices
Organic growth in the first quarter was 3%. This
was mainly driven by higher prices as sales
volumes fell by 2% in the quarter compared to
the same period last year.
The UK market maintained its positive
momentum and saw a strong volume
development. In contrast, sales volumes in
Poland declined against a strong Q1 last year.
The German market continues to contract, with
no signs of recovery expected in the short-term.
Price developments were in line with
expectations, with overall prices higher than last
year as we continue to pass on input cost
increases. In the UK, price increases were
implemented at the start of the year following
annual negotiations. Similarly, Germany and
Poland also saw positive price adjustments early
in the year compared to previous quarter.
Regional market development
UK
In the UK, building registrations have continued
in a positive direction since mid-2024 though
growth has been from a low starting point.
Mortgage approvals have also seen a positive
development reaching pre-pandemic levels.
In the Spring Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves
unveiled planning reforms to support housing.
Measures such as mandatory housing targets
and development of grey belt land are set to
move the government closer to its target of 1.5
million new homes over this Parliament.
Poland
Despite high financing costs, Poland’s
underlying housing fundamentals remain solid.
Mortgage demand has declined since the
conclusion of the “2% Safe Credit” scheme,
though it remains above pre-scheme levels. This
slowdown has contributed to a reduction in
building permit approvals. The government has
introduced a new support package focused on
the secondary market. While its direct impact is
expected to be limited, we welcome the greater
clarity which could help shift both developers
and buyers out of a wait-and-see mode.
Germany
Germany’s housing sector remains under
pressure. Despite a growing demand for
affordable housing, too few homes are being
built, and consumer confidence remains low.
In April 2025, the government implemented a
major fiscal shift, reforming the constitutional
debt brake to allow significant public spending
over the next decade, including €500 billion for
infrastructure as well as increased defence
investments. It is still too early to assess the
potential impact of these changes on
construction activity.
OTHER KEY EVENTS
Ramp up of UK production network
The re-opening of our second Pollington plant is
progressing and will provide valuable additional
capacity to better support our partners in the UK
market once fully back to normal operations.
While the ramp-up phase is ongoing, we expect
to see the full impact on gross margins during
the second half of 2025.