SSL sales, profits up

LONDON (June 8)—SSL International P.L.C., the merged London International Group/Seton Scholl, reported a 3.1-percent rise in pro-forma sales for the year ended March 31, to $1.13 billion. Because of a double-merger effect—Seton Healthcare with Scholl in May 1998, and then Seton-Scholl with LIG in June 1999—SSL included 13 months´ results in its fiscal 2000 accounts. Operating profits rose to $219 million, which represented an operating margin of 19.3 percent compared with 15.9 percent the previous year, the company said. Among merger costs listed by SSL was $230 million to cover closing glove and condom facilities in the U.S. and its exit from the examination glove market.