BUSINESS MEMO: SPARTECH PLANNING

Spartech Corp. will focus on new market opportunities and further earning growth in 2000.

Bradley B. Buechler, chairman, president and chief executive officer, told shareholders attending the company's annual meeting recently that Spartech will focus on: (1) several new market opportunities now available through its expanded product line resulting from recent acquisitions; (2) additional "product transformation" sales, fueled by new "alloy plastics" and, (3), further earnings growth from the company's new "pyramids of performance" initiatives.

Buechler said acquisitions had almost doubled the available custom sheet and rollstock market, from $1.3 to $2.5 billion. He added that "Spartech's Pyramids of Performance" was first introduced 1999 to improve operating margins.

The St. Louis-based company, which has a total of 53 plants, includes two large operations in Cape Girardeau Spartech Plastics, 2500 Spartech Drive, and Spartech compounding on Nash Road.