technotrans AG has consistently maintained its growth rate in the first half of 2015, with a marked improvement in profitability. The company increased its operating profit (EBIT) by 49.6 percent to EUR 4.4 million. That represents a margin of 7.4 percent and is therefore wholly in line with the plans. The same applies to revenue, which increased by 11.1 percent to EUR 60.3 million. For the year as a whole, the Board of Management expects the above performance indicators to be at the top end of the ranges forecast.

“After a strong start to the year we have made steady business progress amid a challenging environment,” declared Henry Brickenkamp, Chief Executive Officer of technotrans AG. The consolidated result after tax for the first half of 2015 was € 3.0 million, representing a 58.1 percent increase on the previous year. The rate of return was 4.9 percent (previous year: 3.5 percent). Revenue grew by 9.4 percent to EUR 29.8 million in the second quarter. The operating result (EBIT) for the quarter under review reached EUR 2.1 million, 37.1 percent up on the corresponding figure for the previous year.

In the Technology segment, revenue for the year to date was up 14.6 percent at EUR 40.3 million. The strategy adopted of tapping new areas of business outside the printing industry again had a positive effect and contributed the bulk of growth. Here, the group’s companies between them increased their revenue by roughly 22 percent. Strong business in the laser industry and growing revenue shares for the self-developed technologies for temperature control, filtration, cooling lubricant preparation and spray lubrication emerged as growth drivers. 35 percent of revenue is now generated in this area.

Meanwhile business with customers from the printing industry also progressed well. Revenue grew 7.8 percent compared with the first half of 2014. Both the successful expansion of market shares in offset printing and growing demand in the area of digital and flexographic printing were behind this development. The Technology segment’s overall revenue share increased from 65 to around 67 percent in the past twelve months.The operating profit (EBIT) for this area came to EUR 1.1 million in the first half. This contrasts with a loss for the segment of EUR 0.2 million for the corresponding period of the previous year.

The rate of return for the segment developed positively, as expected, reaching 28 percent at June 30.Revenue for the Services segment grew 4.8 percent to EUR 20.0 million in the first half of 2015. This increase was driven largely by Technology after-sales business. The result for the segment of EUR 3.3 million showed a slight improvement on the prior-year figure of EUR 3.2 million. Only service business in the Technical Documentation area failed to live up to expectations at the end of the first half.

“All in all, there are very encouraging signs that we will be able to maintain our growth in the second half of the year, too,” emphasised Brickenkamp. Assuming a stable economic environment, he offered the prospect of annual revenue of around EUR 120 million for the technotrans Group in 2015. Based on the performance to date, the Board of Management expects to achieve an EBIT margin at the upper end of the targets for the year of 6.8 to 7.3 percent.