Although many laser systems manufacturers have announced positive financial results for the end of 2008, they warn of bad news to come. The current economic crisis has hit many firms hard and, as is common in such situations, acquisitions and staff redundancies abound.
Positive results include IPG Photonics' revenues, up by 21% for 2008; Micronic's sales, up by 8% for 2008; and Ultratech fourth-quarter sales, up by 15%. But for some the figures are not so promising. Rofin Sinar has reported a 21% reduction in net sales and a 55% reduction in net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2009 compared with the same period in 2008. The company saw a decrease in sales of its products for macro applications (welding, cutting and surface treatment) of 32% and a decrease in micro (fine processing of small targets) sales of 14% for the first quarter of fiscal 2009. Günther Braun, CEO of Rofin Sinar, says, “With very few exceptions, we experienced diminished demand across all industries, even in the photovoltaic industry, which is something we have never seen before.”
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