KBA Reports Substantial Sheetfed Orders in Q2

Significantly higher quarterly sales
With above-average revenue of €311.5m generated in the second quarter the gap to last year has become considerably smaller. However, after six months group sales of €502.2m were 15 percent lower than twelve months ago (€590.5m). Sales of €255.4m generated by the web and special press division fell over 26 percent short of last year’s figure due to deliveries postponed to the second half of the year. In contrast, sheetfed sales were up 1.6 percent to €246.8m.

Earnings up in sheetfed division
Advances made in various cost-cutting measures have contributed to halving last year’s operating loss of –€18m in the sheetfed division to –€9.4m. From April to June results in this division improved from –€5.9m in the first quarter to –€3.5m. Postponed shipments to the second half of the year, market-related insufficient capacity utilization at our web press facilities and development expenses associated with our new business field digital printing reduced operating profit in our web and special press division from €30.5m in 2012 to €4.5m.