Technotrans Says Industry Crisis Over In 2004.

On the strength of the stronger underlying economic figures, at the start of 2004 Technotrans anticipates that the crisis in the printing industry will be overcome in 2004.

On the strength of the stronger underlying economic figures, at the start of 2004 Technotrans anticipates that the crisis in the printing industry will be overcome in 2004.

The strength and sustainability of this recovery, on the other hand, remained unclear, said the company.

"At this early stage of the recovery, we do not anticipate Drupa 2004 to provide anything like the impetus of the previous event in 2000," commented Heinz Harling, chairman of the board of management at Technotrans AG.

"Our expectations are reflected by our targets of revenue growth ranging between 8%-10% for the print segment," he added.

Technotrans' strategy remains to boost the Technotrans content per printing press.

"In a relevant market worth around 600 million Euros, we have formulated various objectives for ourselves in order to tap further potential for the future," explained sales director Ralph Teunissen.

"This is another reason why we are convinced that we will rapidly be able to return to a course of growth, and one that is not solely dependent on an economic recovery.

We are also paying particular attention to the market of Japanese printing press manufacturers, to which we attach considerable importance above all as a gateway to the growth region of Asia," he added.

Technotrans has used the crisis to optimise its cost structures and processes.

Finance director Wolfgang Breme added: "Our attention will be focused on keeping costs tightly under control even once the recovery is under way, and thus ensuring that any growth above all has a disproportionately high impact on earnings." The Board expected the group to post revenue of 115 million Euros in 2004.

The aim will once again be to improve profitability during the year.

It expects the net profit for the year to be in the order of 5.5 million to 6 million Euros.

The free cash flow should likewise rise to between 7 million and 8 million Euros.

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