MÖLNDAL, Sweden--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
Strong growth and significant investments
· Net sales increased by 70% to 576.1 (339,0) MSEK
· Operating income increased by 50.2 (21.7) MSEK (including non-recurring costs of approximately 0 (9.3) MSEK)
· Net income amounted to 24.3 (57.7) MSEK (including tax effects for 2014 of 15.8 MSEK
· Earnings per share increased to 1.18 (3.10) SEK
· 50 (35) EBM systems were delivered during the period
· Order intake amounted to 58 (42) EBM systems
For the fourth quarter:
· Sales increased by 28% to 176.0 (137.1) MSEK
· Operating income amounted to 14.0 (15.3) MSEK
· Net income increased to 2.7 (15.8) MSEK
· Order intake increased by 29 (21) systems
· 16 (15) EBM systems were delivered in the fourth quarter
Strong growth and significant investments
2015 was another very active and strong year for Arcam. We have worked hard and focused. Our primary focus has been to continue executing and developing our long-term strategy to put the EBM technology in industrial production. To do that, we have developed all three parts of the Group, EBM systems, metal powders and contract manufacturing. We have grown rapidly and we have made substantial investments in increased capacity to continue to meet our customers demand.
After a strong fourth quarter, we reached net sales of 576.1 MSEK and an operating profit of 50.2 MSEK for the full year. Sales increased by 70% and operating profit increased by 131%. During the year we booked 58 new EBM orders, an increase of 38% compared with the previous year. We enter 2016 with an order book of 27 systems.
Business status
Avio Aero in Turin, Italy, is a subsidiary of GE Aviation. Avio Aero has successfully used and evaluated Arcam´s EBM systems for many years and is now moving into series production of state of the art turbine blades. In connection with this they ordered, by the end of the year, 10 new EBM system and with that order they doubled their installation base.
Another important reference business is the order from GKN of two Arcam Q20. Together with GKN we are bringing our EBM-technology to series production of aerospace components.
The deals confirm the great potential of the Arcam EBM technology as a volume production tool for the aerospace industry. We can now see that our aerospace customers are expanding their EBM production facilities.
In September, our customer Beijing AK Medical Chinese announced that the Chinese authorities approved their EBM manufactured orthopedic implants for sale in China. These are the first additive manufactured implants to be formally approved in China. In connection with this decision Beijing AK Medical decided to go into production with these implants and they ordered another five Arcam Q10 systems.
During the year our Italian customer Lima has received the five systems they ordered in the end of 2014. Lima has thereby increased its EBM capacity significantly and Lima is the world's largest manufacturer of additively manufactured implants.
Meanwhile, customers in Japan, Korea, Europe and in the US have introduced new EBM-manufactured products on the market within orthopedics for hips, knees and spine surgery. The EBM technology is therefore now established as a manufacturing method for orthopedic implants.
Our metal powder manufacturer AP&C in Montreal is growing rapidly with several new customers within Additive Manufacturing. To meet the demand, we took in the beginning of the year a third powder reactor in use and in the autumn we decided to expand AP&C with another two powder reactors. With these investments, AP&C will have five complete production lines, of which four are intended for titanium powder and one is intended for Inconel and other alloys.
Management changes and infrastructure
During the year we strengthened our sales and support organization in the US, UK and in China through the recruitment of sales and support engineers. In the UK a new office was inaugurated in Warwick and in the US a new office was opened in Woburn, MA. With the new local offices we move management, customer support and logistics closer to our customers.
During the third quarter a major expansion of our production facilities in Mölndal, Sweden, was finalized. With the expansion we have doubled our production area and we have also opened a new demo and customer training center.
During the year we strengthened our marketing organization by setting up a new central marketing function for Arcam Group, based in the US. The new marketing organization will manage and coordinate Arcam's global marketing including branding efforts and product marketing, in order to fully utilize our position in the aerospace and medical implant industry.
In December Alain Dupont was appointed the new CEO of powder manufacturer AP&C. He succeeds Jacques Mallette who has been CEO of AP&C since 2011 and continues to be involved as Chairman for AP&C.
Financing and ownership structure
In May Industrifonden sold its entire holding in Arcam, corresponding to 10.4% of capital and votes. The buyer was the US-based Oppenheimer Funds.
After the deal Industrifonden has no ownership in Arcam. Industrifonden has been involved in the company since 1999, first as a lender and, since 2002, as an owner.
Oppenheimer has been a shareholder of Arcam since 2014 and, with the new deal, became the largest owner with more than 15% of the outstanding shares.
On May 27 we completed a share issue of 1.8 million new shares directed to Första AP-fonden, providing the company with approximately MSEK 250 before transaction costs. Första AP-fonden represents an engaged, long term ownership which the board expects will contribute to the development of the company.
After those transactions we have a new ownership structure and a very strong cash position. At the end of the third quarter we had approximately 452.9 MSEK in cash. The strong balance sheet provides financial stability that is much appreciated by the large clients we work with in long term projects.
With some of the world's largest companies as customers, a strong cash position and, most important, a team of dedicated and driven employees, we are well positioned to take advantage of our opportunities in the fast growing market for Additive Manufacturing.
Mölndal, February 8, 2016
Magnus René, President & CEO
The information has been made public in accordance with the Securities Market Act and/or the Financial Instruments Trading Act.
The information was published on February 8, 2016 at 08.30 (CET).
Arcam Group provides cost-efficient Additive Manufacturing solutions for production of metal components. Arcam’s Electron Beam Melting (EBM®) technology offers design freedom combined with excellent material properties and high productivity. Arcam is, through its solution orientation and comprehensive product offering, an innovative partner for advanced manufacturing, primarily for the aerospace and medical industries. Arcam offers EBM systems through Arcam AB in Sweden, powder metals through AP&C in Canada and implant contract manufacturing through DiSanto in the U.S.The company is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and the Head Office is located in Mölndal, Sweden.
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Arcam AB • Krokslätts Fabriker 27A • SE-431 37 Mölndal, Sweden • 46-31-710 32 00 • www.arcam.com
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