Komax Holding AG: Strong order intake in both business units

Komax Holding AG / Komax Holding AG: Strong order intake in both business units . Processed and transmitted by Nasdaq OMX Corporate Solutions. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The Komax Group's order intake increased by 20.4% to CHF 442.8 million (2014: CHF 367.7 million), while sales grew by around 1.5% to around CHF 370 million (2014: CHF 363.3 million). The Group's annual financial statements and Annual Report will be published at the press conference and analysts' presentation to be held on 22 March 2016.

Komax Wire
Despite the strength of the Swiss franc, Komax Wire once again exceeded the previous year's impressive performance. Order intake increased by 15.1% to CHF 348.4 million (2014: CHF 302.6 million). The key drivers of this pleasing development were the persistently robust health of the automotive industry and the continuing trend to further automate manual processes and enhance processing quality in wire processing. The preference for higher-quality, complex processing solutions, a trend that was already in evidence in the first half of the year, was confirmed as the year progressed.

Moreover, with the launch of the Alpha 530 and Alpha 550, Komax Wire has set a new benchmark for automatic crimping machines. Both solutions have set new standards for productivity, flexibility and precision, and have accordingly been well received by both customers and industry experts. In addition, Komax Wire strengthened its market position by acquiring the Thonauer Group. The Thonauer Group is a perfect fit for the service and distribution network of Komax Wire, which is expanding its presence in one of the world's fastest growing regions as the result of this acquisition.

In view of the continuing strong development of business, the persistently healthy market environment, and its strong order book, Komax Wire is expecting a good start to the New Year.

Komax Medtech
After a difficult start to 2015, order intake picked up over the course of the year, and the fourth quarter in particular proved strong. This included expected repeat orders and interesting orders with repeat potential from both existing and new clients. By the end of the year, order intake had reached the high level of CHF 94.5 million (2014: CHF 65.1 million). However, the volatile development of business put pressure on capacity at all three sites. In view of the strong order book at the start of this year, comprising a number of commercially appealing, longer-term projects, Komax Medtech also expects 2016 to start well.

Further progress has been made in the review of the strategic options open to Komax Medtech, which was announced back in March 2015. The primary focus of this review is on the sale of this business unit. Komax is holding discussions with potential buyers. However, no concrete agreement has been reached to date, so Komax cannot make any statement with respect to the success of negotiations at the current point in time.

Change in the Board of Directors
Leo Steiner will not be standing for re-election as Member of the Board at the next Annual General Meeting. For 24 years he has shaped Komax's development in his role as CEO and Member and Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors would like to express its warm thanks to Leo Steiner for his significant contribution to the company's development, his decisive impact, and his extremely valuable collaboration over a period of many years.

Following a transitional, six-member phase which has been ongoing since the process of renewal was initiated in 2012, the Board of Directors will now return to its traditional size of five members. The Board considers this size as optimal. As planned, Leo Steiner's position will not be filled.

Financial calendar

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The Komax Group is a global technology company that focuses on markets in the automation sector. As a leading manufacturer of innovative and high-quality solutions for the wire processing industry and systems for the assembly of self-medication instruments, Komax helps its customers implement economical and safe manufacturing processes, especially in the automotive supply and pharmaceutical sectors. The Komax Group employs around 1 550 people worldwide and provides sales and service support via subsidiaries and independent agents in around 60 countries.

The media release can be downloaded from the following link:

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Komax Holding AG
Industriestrasse 6 Dierikon-LU Switzerland

WKN: 1070215 ;ISIN: CH0010702154;