German equipment supplier Singulus Technologies AG narrowed its operating loss while boosting overall revenues in its growing solar division last year.
The company posted an operating loss (before interest and tax) of between 33 and 35 million, down from a 49.1 million loss the previous year, according to its preliminary 2015 results. Sales amounted to some 84 million, up from 66.8 million a year ago. Singulus order intake grew from 60 million to 96 million year over year, while its order backlog rose from 14 million to 26 million.
Write-offs and other restructuring costs had squeezed the companys operating result. While EBIT, sales and order intake in the groups solar division increased year over year, the companys optical disc segment performed weakly in view of falling demand, particularly in the case of its Blu-ray Disc Bluline II production system. Waning sales led Singulus to write down replication lines of the Bluline II type for Blu-ray Discs. The company expects only a few new orders for these production systems in the future as disc manufacturers are focusing on the new Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc. As a result, Singulus expects future investment to be mainly in production equipment for Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs.
In the past few years, Singulus has sharpened its focus on the solar segment, developing new production solutions for the industry, including production equipment for thin-film solar cells, like the vacuum machines Vistaris and Cisaris, as well as for crystalline high efficiency cells, such as the Silex II machines. The company said it received successful orders last year.
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