Gleisdorf, May 15, 2013.In the first quarter of 2013, Binder+Co, the Gleisdorf-based specialist for processing, environmental and packaging technology was able to raise its sales revenues by 26.3%. At EUR 0.94 million, EBIT remained at roughly the level of the preceding year.

Karl Grabner, from the Binder+Co Management Board: "Having achieved an increase in sales revenues of 26%, we can be satisfied with the first quarter of 2013. However, in spite of continued internationalization and the start of full operative business by our new subsidiary, Binder+Co Machinery (Tianjin) Ltd., in the second quarter of this year, Binder+Co is still largely subject to the extremely variable economic environment in Europe."

In the first quarter of 2013, the clear upward order intake trend of the last three months of 2012 weakened markedly. All in all, Binder+Co acquired new orders totalling EUR 19.37 million, which was 10.2% below the figure for the comparative period of 2012. However, on the basis of excellent order backlog of EUR 40.16 million from the beginning of the year, sales revenues of EUR 22.07 million were obtained in the first quarter, which exceeded the value of the preceding year by EUR 17.47 million, or 26.3%. Notwithstanding the burdens incurred at both Comec-Binder S.r.l. and Bublon GmbH, the Group's still young subsidiaries, EBIT remained virtually at the level of the previous year (Q1/2012: EUR 1.03 million). Moreover, order backlog stood at EUR 37.43 million, which was 13.7% higher than the total as at March 31, 2012.

In the first quarter of 2013, Processing Technology again provided the largest share of sales revenues with EUR 10.95 million. Sales revenues in the Environmental Technology Segment, which focuses on classification machines for glass and plastics recycling, were 16% up on those of the previous year at EUR 5.93 million. The Packaging Technology Segment, which is managed by the independent subsidiary Statec Binder GmbH, had first quarter sales revenues of EUR 5.19 million in the first quarter of 2013. This represented an increase of 71.3% over the preceding year and a sizeable contribution to the increase in Binder+Co Group sales revenues.  

It is also pleasing that spare parts and servicing business remained strong in all three segments, as this offers sizeable margins.

Good order backlog provides a positive outlook
Order backlog as at March 31, 2013 stood at EUR 37.43 million (March 31, 2012: EUR 32.91 million) and thus forms a solid foundation for further business development in the remainder of the 2013 financial year. The management assumes that sales revenues and the result for the year can at least be maintained at the level of 2012.

Workforce enlarged
In the wake of growing internationalization, the size of the Binder+Co Group workforce also increased. As at March 31, 2013, the workforce totalled 352, which was 3.5% up on the year-end figure for 2012. 

Further investments at the Gleisdorf location
The new and rebuilding projects commenced at the Gleisdorf location in 2012 continued during Q1/2013 with investment amounting to EUR 1.05 million.

Binder+Co-Aktie share somewhat weaker
Having commenced the year at a level of EUR 27.50, by March 31, 2013 the price of the Binder share, which is traded on the mid market of the Vienna Stock Exchange, had fallen back by 8.4% to EUR 25.19.

The Binder+Co Group
Binder+Co is a specialist in the field of processing, environmental and packaging technology and the world market leader in the screening and glass recycling segments. The company was listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange at the end of 2006 and is now part of the Third Market in the mid market segment. The Binder+Co Group consists of Binder+Co AG, the three fully owned subsidiaries Comec-Binder S.r.l., Bublon GmbH and Binder+Co Machinery (Tianjin) Ltd., as well as the Statec Binder GmbH joint venture (50.7%). In 2010, Binder+Co was awarded the Austrian National Innovation Prize for its successful implementation of inventive capacity. Moreover, in 2011 it received both the Austrian National Prize for Work Safety for its introduction of special safety measures for apprentices, and the Best Open Innovator Award of the Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen as the top SME in der D-A-CH region.

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