Third-quarter figures for German press manufacturer KBA showed a 25.9 per cent increase in group order intake to €1,309.9M (2004: €1,040.1M). Group sales totalled €1,107.3M, 17.2 per cent above the previous year figure of €944.5M, and the order backlog was 15 per cent higher, at €1,095.6M.
As a result, the group has moved back into the black for the first time this year, with a pre-tax profit of €10.1M. The operating profit of €17.3M is a significant improvement on the figure of €1.2M for the first six months. Net profit was €5.2M. Management reaffirmed the projected sales target of €1.5 billion for 2005 and a higher pre-tax profit than last year's €15.9M.
The sheet-fed and web press divisions both posted dynamic growth rates. New orders for sheet-fed offset presses were up 15.8 per cent at €661.8M (2004: €571.6M), "with gains in virtually every market worldwide". Sales jumped 21 per cent to €561.4M, from €464M the previous year, largely driven by the medium and superlarge format presses launched at drupa in 2004. The €400.2M order backlog was 9 per cent higher than at the same time last year and will keep KBA's production plant near Dresden busy for the next six months.
Domestic demand also picked up, enabling the group to post a 46.9 per cent jump in sales to €219.4M. As a result, the proportion of exports eased back to 80.2 per cent (2004: 84.2 per cent), although they remained the prime engine of growth.
| Contacts |
| KBA Tel: +49 931 909 4835 |
