The second quarter of 2004 saw Interceramic posting significant improvements over second quarter results in 2003, and marking gains over a lackluster first quarter of the year as well.

Record quarterly sales of $84.8 million topped sales of $72.2 million in the same quarter of 2003 by 17.5 percent. Larger sales volume, and a better mix of products sold, pushed up gross income for the quarter up by 23.3 percent over last year.

For the first six months of 2004, consolidated sales are up by 10.3 percent to $161.3 million compared to $146.3 million in the year-earlier period. The company also moved much more product during the second quarter of 2004 than it had in the same period of 2003, increasing by 15 percent. Growth in both sales and product volume occurred in each of Interceramic's primary markets of Mexico and the United States.

In Mexico, sales for the second quarter jumped by 22.3 percent from the second quarter of 2003 to $46.3 million from the $37.9 million posted last year. The amount of product sold by the company in Mexico during the second quarter of 2004 increased by 18.3 percent over the second quarter of 2003. For the first six months of 2004, sales in Mexico are up 10.6 percent over the first half of 2003, to $88.3 million from $79.9 million in 2003. Over the same comparative periods, product volume in Mexico is up by 11.4 from last year.

In the international markets, Interceramic hit a record level of sales $38.4 million for the second quarter of 2004, a pace that bettered sales for the same period of 2003 by 12.2 percent. The amount of product sold in the international markets increased as well, up by 9.9 percent over last year. For the six months, international sales of $73.0 million are 9.9 percent higher than in the first six months of 2003. The amount of product sold over the first six months of 2004 in the international markets grew by 7.1 percent over the first semester of 2003.