Zep Inc. (NYSE: ZEP), Atlanta, GA, a producer and marketer of a wide range of cleaning and maintenance solutions, reported sales for the first quarter ended Nov. 30, 2011, were $153.5 million, down 2.5 percent from the comparable period a year ago. Organic sales volume declined 2.8 percent.

Profit fell 27.5 percent to $3.6 million.

Growth in the automotive aftermarket, food processing and industrial maintenance and repair operations end-markets was more than offset by declines in certain other end-markets such as government, vehicle wash, and in-home improvement retail.