BUSINESS MEMO: SPARTECH EARNINGS

Spartech Corp. has announced record sales and earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2000.

Bradley B. Buechler, Spar-tech president and chief executive officer, reported third-quarter sales at $255.9 million, a record for a three-month period in the company's 31-year history and 14 percent greater than last year's third quarter.

Earnings for the quarter were $13.6 million, or 46 cents per diluted share, up 18 percent from the $11.4 million and 39 cents per diluted share of the same quarter in 1999.

Spartech, headquartered in St. Louis, has two operations in Cape Girardeau -- Spartech Plastics at 2500 Spartech Drive and Spartech Compounding on Nash Road. Spartech is a leading manufacturer of engineered thermoplastic materials and polymeric compounds.

Spartech, a producer of engineered thermoplastic material, polymeric compounds and molded and profile products, has 51 facilities throughout North America and Europe.