BUSINESS MEMO: SPARTECH SALES, EARNINGS UP

Spartech Corp. has announced record sales and earnings for its fiscal year, which ended Oct. 31.

Sales for fiscal 1998 were $653.9 million, up 30 percent from the $502.7 million recorded in fiscal year 1997.

Operating earnings improved to $69.7 million, or 10.7 percent of sales, and net earnings for the fiscal year were $33.7 million, or $1.18 per diluted share, up 32 percent from the $23.5 million or 95 cents per diluted share for fiscal 1997.

Spartech officials cited strategic acquisitions, new alloy plastics and product transformations and ongoing cost containment efforts for the record sales and earnings.

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