13 April 2011

Riber’s Q1 revenue doubles year-on-year

For first-quarter 2011, Riber S.A. of Bezons, France, which manufactures molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) systems as well as evaporation sources and effusion cells, has reported revenue of €5.7m, up 98% on €2.9m a year ago but down on the exceptional €13.1m last quarter (which contributed 63% of full-year 2010’s revenue).

In particular, growth is being driven by systems sales, with the delivery of two machines in Q1 boosting systems revenue to €2.1m, almost double (up 92%) on €1.1m a year ago. Revenue for evaporation sources and cells grew nine-fold, from just €0.3m a year ago to €2.6m, reflecting Riber’s ongoing diversification to the strongly growing markets for OLEDs (organic LEDs) and copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic panels. Services & accessories revenue was €1m, down ‘temporarily’ by 34% from the high level of €1.5m a year ago. Riber adds that the positive evolution of revenue is also resulting from its policy of aiming to spread production evenly throughout the year.

At the end of the March quarter, order backlog was €21.3m, up strongly by 134% on €9.1m a year ago. This includes systems orders worth €14m (more than double the €6.9m a year ago), comprising six research systems and four production systems (including an order received in March for a new production machine). Out of these 10 machines, only one system is not scheduled to be delivered during 2011. In addition, backlog includes major effusion cell orders in the OLED sector, boosting total orders for evaporation sources and cells 25-fold from just €0.2m a year ago to €5m. Services & accessories orders have grown by 15% from €2m to €2.3m.

Riber concludes that these trends confirm the relevance of its business strategy, based on:

• continuing to strengthen its market leadership in MBE systems;
  
• capitalizing on the installed base and growing sales of epitaxy equipment, spare parts and accessories, as well as corresponding services; and
  
• launching a range of high-value-added equipment and services for high-growth applications (thin-film solar panels, OLED lighting and flat screens, etc).

See related items:

Riber reports 2010 revenue up 20% to €20.7m

Riber’s revenue bounces back by 11% in Q3/2010

Riber expects strong H2/2010 to compensate for first half

Riber reports Q1 revenue up 11% year-on-year

Tags: Riber MBE

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