Mikron posts higher order intake and good order backlog

Order backlog increased by 12% to CHF 122.3 million (previous year: CHF 109.5 million). As already announced at the end of October 2013, however, the Group's EBIT will be significantly below the figure for 2012. The Mikron Group's sales markets performed very differently in 2013. The high demand from the medical devices and pharmaceutical industries contrasted with very low demand from the automotive industry, particularly in the first half of the year. Overall, Mikron's market performance in 2013 was good, meeting expectations with a 2% increase in net sales. The Mikron Group even achieved a 12% increase in order backlog at the end of the year. Machining segment Faced with persistent low demand and a continuous decline in orders in hand, the Machining business segment had a difficult first six months. In the second half of the year, however, the ongoing activities of enhancing existing and developing new machinery and tools paid off as various new orders brought about a reversal in this trend. For 2013 as a whole, the Machining business segment achieved an order intake of CHF 125.8 million (previous year: CHF 123.6 million, +2%) and net sales of CHF 125.2 million (previous year: CHF 134.3 million, -7%). The order backlog for the Machining business segment at the end of 2013 rose 13% to CHF 57.6 million compared with the end of 2012 (CHF 51.2 million). Automation segment Thanks to the good level of demand from the medical devices and pharmaceutical industries, particularly in the first six months, Mikron Automation increased its order intake to CHF 121.8 million in 2013 (previous year: CHF 113.0 million, +8%). In contrast, demand from customers in the automotive industry was disappointing, and order volumes in Asia were also below expectations. Mikron Automation's net sales rose to CHF 116.8 million (previous year: CHF 101.2 million, +15%) and its order backlog increased to CHF 65.0 million at the end of the year (previous year: 58.3 million, +11%). 1 CHF = 0.81 EUR