centrotherm: Full order books and high production capacity utilization

Blaubeuren, October 30, 2019 - centrotherm international AG, headquartered in Blaubeuren, (ISIN: DE000A1TNMM9 und DE000A1TNMN7) is reporting full order books. In the first six months of the 2019 fiscal year, the technology and system supplier has booked orders across the Group weighing in at a total volume of EUR 155.1 million, and has thereby quadrupled the volume by comparison with the prior year period. The strong order intake is also attributable to large scale projects amounting to a volume in excess of EUR 100 million. This comprises production solutions for high-efficiency solar cells. The order position rose from EUR 84.7 million as of December 31, 2018, to EUR 195.7 million as of the balance sheet date on June 30, 2019.

As CEO Jan von Schuckmann commented: "The new centrotherm production solutions are being very well received by our mostly Asian clients. This is clearly reflected by the high order intake. Committing expenditures of around EUR 7 million we have vigorously invested in the development of new system generations and processes. We are optimistic that these investments and the sales successes recently achieved will have positive effects on our corporate developments."

Gunter Fauth, COO, went on to add: "In addition to our main production location in Blaubeuren, the production location that we built up at the beginning of 2019 in Kunshan, China, is playing a major role in fulfilling the customer orders from China."

With Group revenue of EUR 37.1 million in the first half-year, centrotherm has recorded a book-to-bill-ratio of 4.2. The major share of the large scale orders received in the 2019 business year will only impact on revenue in 2020. The comparatively low revenue development was anticipated and has already been factored in by the Management Board with regard to the forecast for the 2019 business year, stating revenue in the bandwidth of EUR 90 to EUR 150 million. The total operating performance of EUR 54.6 million reflects the high production capacity utilization. In view of the new large scale projects that are not yet impacting on revenue, Group EBITDA is negative in the first six months of the business year. The Management Board is maintaining the overall forecast issued for the 2019 business year.

Note: The half-year report 2019 is available in German for downloading from our website under the Investor Relations heading.

About centrotherm international AG

centrotherm has been developing and realizing innovative thermal solutions for over 70 years. As a leading and globally operating technology group, we offer production solutions for the photovoltaic, semiconductor and microelectronics industries.

The continuous further development of our successful solutions in thermal processing and coating, such as for manufacturing crystalline solar cells and power semiconductors, form the basis for our successful partnerships with industry, research and development.

Our customers worldwide appreciate our production systems' process stability, scalability and availability in mass production. Above and beyond this, our work is distinguished by the fact that we create high-end process technology solutions which are specific for our customers and tailored to their requirements, and the fact that we are outstanding in system building.

We jointly confront the daily challenges of setting new trends, maximizing the efficiency of producing, for example, solar cells and semiconductors, and securing investments, coupled with our long machine lifetimes.

In this way, we generate valuable competitive advantages for our customers through targeted process innovations and production solutions.

Our around 650 staff worldwide are committed to the further development of high-tech solutions for key markets.

centrotherm international AG
Württemberger Str. 31
89143 Blaubeuren
Internet: www.centrotherm.world
German Securities Identification Number (WKN): A1TNMM (bearer shares); A1TNMN (unlisted shares from the non-cash capital increase)
ISIN: DE000A1TNMM9 (bearer shares); DE000A1TNMN7 (unlisted shares from the non-cash capital increase)
Inclusion: Basic Board, Frankfurt Stock Exchange
Corporate domicile: Germany

Contact:
Nathalie Albrecht
Manager Public & Investor Relations
Tel: +49 7344 918-6304
E-mail: [email protected]