At Euro742m sales by the Heidelberg Group in the first three months (April 1 – June 30) were around three per cent up on the previous year (Euro719m). Incoming orders in the first quarter were Euro934m compared with the previous year's figure of Euro1.076bn. The decline compared with the same quarter of the previous year is attributable by Heidelberg to the high volume of orders received at the Ipex trade show in April 2006. The order backlog at the end of the first quarter was 1.196 billion Euro (previous year: 1.346 billion Euro).
Bernhard Schreier, CEO of Heidelberg says, "The upward trend in the print media industry is continuing on the back of positive developments in the global economy. If we take due account of the effect of the Ipex trade show in Birmingham in the previous year, incoming orders attained a very good level in the first quarter of Euro934m."
The Heidelberg Group recorded an operating result of Euro26m in the period under review up 60 per cent on the previous years Euro16m figure. The net profit in the first quarter wasEuro8m compared with the previous year's Euro5m result.
Heidelberg CFO Dirk Kaliebe says, "The operating result of the Heidelberg Group has once again improved slightly over the previous year, and was able to more than compensate for the anticipated costs from the collective wage agreement."
As of June 30, 2007, the Heidelberg Group had a workforce of 19,239 worldwide (up 68 during the quarter).
In the Press Divisio, sales rose to Euro639m in the first three months (previous year: Euro620m). Incoming orders in the period under review amounted to Euro817m compared with the previous year of Euro954m.In the Postpress Division, quarterly sales were Euro95m, up fomr the previous year's Euro89m. Incoming orders totalled Euro109m (previous year: Euro 112m).
Sales in all regions in the first quarter were on a par with or exceeded the previous year´s level. In the Asia/Pacific, incoming orders in the period under review fell in comparison with the previous year due to the high volume of orders received at the Ipex trade show in April 2006
