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Overall Sandvik's business was stable in the fourth quarter with good performance especially in Sandvik Tooling but also in Sandvik Mining and Construction. This is the view of Sandvik's President and CEO Olof Faxander who was talking about the group’s interim report on the fourth quarter and full-year 2011.

Danish industrial firm FLSmidth has posted a record high pre-tax profit of €292million (DKK2.17billion) for 2011. Turnover increased by 9% to DKK21,998million, and the earnings before income tax (EBIT) margin was for the fifth consecutive year between 9 and 10%.

Caterpillar delivered record-breaking sales and revenues of US$60.1 billion in 2011, an increase of 41% from $42.6 billion in 2010, with profit at $4.9 billion, an increase of 83% ffrom $2.7 billion in 2010. Fourth-quarter sales and revenues in 2011 were an all-time quarterly record at $17.2 billion, an increase of 35% compared with $12.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010. Fourth-quarter profit was $1.5 billion compared with $968 million in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Shareholders of Ireland-based cement producer, Readymix, are being urged by the firm to accept a €27.40million takeover bid by Cemex Spain. Earlier this month, Cemex increased its offer to €0.25 per share. The firm currently owns 61% of Readymix.