· Consolidated revenue achieved of EUR 61.9 million
· Positive EBIT in the Photovoltaics & Semiconductor as well as Thin Film & Customized Equipment segments
· Silicon segment reduces consolidated earnings to EUR -2.1 million
· Order intake of EUR 89.5 million in the first half of 2016
· Management Board confirms targets for the 2016 financial year
Blaubeuren, August 11, 2016 – centrotherm photovoltaics AG increased sales in its core segment Photovoltaics & Semiconductor from EUR 38.4 million to EUR 42.0 million in the first half of 2016. Total operating revenue in this segment rose in the same period by 27 % to EUR 55.9 million. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) were once again in positive territory, standing at EUR 1.1 million. The cost reduction and efficiency program launched in 2014 together with the excellent order book had an effect on operating earnings in the first half of 2016. As a leading technology and systems supplier, centrotherm was able to almost treble its order intake in its core segment compared with the same period in the previous year. New orders totaling EUR 85.4 million were received from the photovoltaics and semiconductor industry (same period in previous year: EUR 29.5 million).
In the Thin Film & Customized Equipment segment, sales rose marginally to EUR 7.6 million following EUR 7.5 million in the same period in the previous year. In this segment, too, the centrotherm Group succeeded in improving its EBIT performance slightly from EUR -0.5 million to TEUR 84.
Revenues in the Silicon segment were, as expected, lower than in the comparative period due to the progress of construction in the major project in Qatar. Sales in the first six months of 2016 amounted to EUR 12.3 million following EUR 40.1 million in the comparative period. EBIT was significantly below the figure for the previous year, standing at EUR -2.9 million. However, the figure for the previous year benefited from the one-time effect of billing a customer project amounting to EUR 8.2 million. Restructuring measures were initiated in the first half of 2016 at the subsidiary SiTec which operates in the Silicon segment, and these have already been partially completed. The strategic focus of the company from Augsburg continues to be on fulfilling the major contract in connection with the construction of a polysilicon factory in Qatar.
