Order intake for the Swiss StarragHeckert group saw a massive CHF146.2 million (£60 million - CHF1=£0.41) increase in the first half-year 2007, up 72 per cent compared to the same period last year.
A lively demand for new products introduced in 2006 is cited. All market segments and sales regions contributed to this boost, with order backlog doubled to a record of CHF 119.4 million (£49 million) at 30 June 2007 - it was CHF 59.9 (£25 million) million at 30 June 2006.
Sales revenue for the first half of the year increased by 22 per cent to CHF 109.7 million (£44.5 million), adds the company
Measures initiated in the first half-year to increase capacity, are being implemented as planned with the new manufacturing hall at Rorschacherberg, Switzerland for larger machines currently under construction expected to be ready for use by the end of November 2007. In the meantime, the Geneva plant is providing capacity to work off the order backlog of 5-axis machining centres.
The company says that its target markets of energy, aerospace, precision machine and transport "show positive tendencies", with Europe, the USA and China seeing capital expenditures in those areas. The company is, therefore, "confident of a further solid order intake development in the second half-year 2007". Indeed, a major order for large machining centres for the wind power industry, CHF 19 million (£8 million), has already been received in the third quarter 2007.
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