<ARTICLE>                     5
<CIK>              00814241
<NAME>             Formica Corporation
<MULTIPLIER>       1,000
<CURRENCY>         U.S. DOLLARS

                                                                                 
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        12-MOS               8-MOS              4-MOS              12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                DEC-31-1999          DEC-31-1998         DEC-31-1998          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                    JAN-1-1999          MAY-1-1998         JAN-1-1998          JAN-1-1997
<PERIOD-END>                     DEC-31-1999          DEC-31-1998        APR-30-1998          DEC-31-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                            1                   1                  1                   1
<CASH>                                 7,800              31,600                  0              27,200
<SECURITIES>                               0                   0                  0                   0
<RECEIVABLES>                         89,100              69,100                  0              69,900
<ALLOWANCES>                           4,700               4,200                  0               1,500
<INVENTORY>                          119,700             110,300                  0             119,000
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                     238,100             234,200                  0             243,400
<PP&E>                               343,400             305,900                  0             333,200
<DEPRECIATION>                        36,100              17,200                  0              53,200
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                       717,800             701,200                  0             647,700
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                122,200             115,300                  0             176,800
<BONDS>                              362,900             295,900                  0              11,400
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                      0                   0                  0                   0
<PREFERRED>                                0                   0                  0                   0
<COMMON>                                 100                 100                  0                 100
<OTHER-SE>                            77,200             119,700                  0             343,300
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>         717,800             701,200                  0             647,700
<SALES>                              585,200             371,400            178,300             533,400
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                     585,200             371,400            178,300             533,400
<CGS>                                418,800             266,200            131,100             350,100
<TOTAL-COSTS>                        418,800             266,200            131,100             350,100
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                     175,000             103,500             60,900             686,600
<LOSS-PROVISION>                           0                   0                  0                   0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                    37,400              25,700              1,700               3,100
<INCOME-PRETAX>                      (43,500)            (19,500)           (14,600)           (504,600)
<INCOME-TAX>                         (11,400)               2,800                 0                 200
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                  (32,100)            (22,300)           (14,600)           (504,800)
<DISCONTINUED>                             0                   0                  0                   0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                            0                   0                  0                   0
<CHANGES>                                  0                   0                  0                   0
<NET-INCOME>                         (32,100)            (22,300)           (14,600)           (504,800)
<EPS-BASIC>                                0                   0                  0                   0
<EPS-DILUTED>                              0                   0                  0                   0