- Sales of € 283.1 million (+ 15.8 %)
- EBIT of € 4.0 million (previous year: € 2.1 million)
- Net profit of € 11.1 million (previous year: € 7.3 million)
- Large order for DVD was received in Q1
- Successful acceptance of TIMARIS and OPTICUS
- first sales in both work areas
- Decorative Coatings is developed into new work area
Kahl am Main, March 30, 2007 - The SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG (SINGULUS) reports a significant increase for the key financial figures in 2006 compared with the previous year.
The published sales forecast for 2006 of € 255-275 million was exceeded with € 283.1 million (previous year: € 244.4 million). In addition, the EBIT of € 4.0 million (previous year: € 2.1 million) and the net profit of € 11.1 million (previous year: € 7.3 million) were considerably above previous year’s level.
The order intake in 2006, including the order intake in the fourth quarter of € 46.6 million (previous year: € 70.5 million), increased by 28.3 % to € 319 million. As of the end of the year, the order backlog increased from € 60.9 million (2005) to € 81.5 million (2006).
As per February 28, 2007 SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES held 89.61 % of the HamaTech shares. The announced portfolio optimization was completed at the beginning of 2007. With effect from October 1, 2006 the HamaTech AG sold 51 % of the shares of its Slovakian subsidiary STEAG Electronic Systems. As of February 8, 2007 HamaTech sold the STEAG ETA-Optik to the Scandinavian company AudioDev AB. The subsidiary HamaTech APE responsible for the photo mask activities is further developed within the Group. Stefan A. Baustert, Chief Executive Officer of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, comments: “With the acquisition of HamaTech an important consolidation step in the sector took place, which will be decisive for the future success of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Group. The combination of the two companies lays the foundation for a technology and market leadership in all optical disc formats�.
Stefan A. Baustert adds: “The market of the 2nd format generation, the DVD, will continue to grow in the next couple of years. This is also supported by a large order for DVD machines from a big US customer, which we were able to win in the 1st quarter of this year". Research companies involved with the optical discs market expect the total volume of sold DVDs to rise from about 7.6 billion in 2007 to 9.6 billion in 2010 due to blockbusters from Hollywood and the introduction of DVDs in Eastern Europe, China, Africa and other regions.
With respect to HD DVD and Blu-ray SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is confident for the year 2007. The cooperation with Sony DADC, Salzburg, Austria, for the further development of production technology for the mass production of Blu-ray Dual Layer Discs will continue to strengthen SINGULUS’ position in the global market of optical discs.
Successful acceptance of the new machine concepts TIMARIS and OPTICUS – first sales in both work areas
SINGULUS achieved a breakthrough in 2006 with several orders for the business area TIMARIS deposition technology. In the meantime the first machines have been delivered. A first machine was accepted in Q1 2007 and recognized as sales. Due to the broad scope of application of this technology, we have combined this work area in a segment called “Nano Deposition Technologies".
Furthermore, in the 2nd work area, the segment “Optical Coatings�, the first OPTICUS coating machine for plastic eye glass lenses was qualified and accepted for production by a customer.
Decorative Coatings is developed into an independent work area.
In October 2006, a cooperation for the development of a production line for the refining of plastic covers for mobile phone and portable gaming consoles was concluded with the Balda AG, Bad Oeynhausen. The good cooperation with a key customer offers SINGULUS the opportunity to enter the market for decorative protective coatings with the currently most innovative product in the sector and hence to successfully implement the announced diversification strategy. A high level of interest and first sales were already experienced for the metallizer 3DS in 2006. Additional orders for integrated production lines for the processing of plastic surfaces are expected in 2007.
Advanced Process Equipment (APE)
Advanced Process Equipment (APE) was able to continue its positive trend of the preceding quarters in 2006. The order intake remained at a high level. The business activities of the division were transferred to an independent GmbH under the name HamaTech APE as of November 1, 2006. HamaTech APE was able to further expand its leading role for equipment for the cleaning of photo masks; its global market share in the sub-segment amounts to more than 30 %. The demand for these machines is still high. Accordingly, we expect the positive business trend to continue.
Short profile SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES
In addition to the further development of our core activities Optical Disc, we view the diversification as the most important goal and biggest challenge for our company in the coming years.
In 2007, SINGULUS will focus on the following goals:
- Clear market leadership in all work areas of Optical Disc with the goal to benefit disproportionately from the upcoming growth of the new format generation.
- Expansion of market leadership for photo mask cleaning and processing machines for the semi-conductor industry.
- Extensive further development of our segments “Nano Deposition Technologies� and “Optical Coatings� as well as the new business area “Decorative Coatings" to become independent work areas with increasing sales and earnings contributions.
- Consistent expansion of the activities in the next couple of years through the introduction of new work areas by means of acquisitions in order to generate sales and earnings contributions with additional new business areas.
The increasing penetration of the new disc formats HD DVD and Blu-ray, the stable market position in the photo mask area, the opportunities arising from the new work areas Nano Deposition Technologies, Optical Coatings and Decorative Coatings as well as our strategy to broaden our activities into new work areas form the basis to secure the future of our company and to generate new growth.