MAN Roland Achieves Its Turnaround Goal

WESTMONT, Ill.—The Printing Systems Division of MAN AG, parent of MAN Roland Inc., raised its operating profits to $3.9 million in 2004, representing a $38 million gain over the previous year.

In a recently released report to investors, MAN AG indicated that the year-end figures signify the division's return to the growth track. "Printing Systems achieved an operating turnaround," the report stated. "The highly profitable web-fed sector and the sheetfed presses, which were able to reduce their losses, both contributed equally to this improved performance."

New press orders rose 20 percent, from $2,081 million in 2003 to $2,491 million in 2004, indicating that MAN Roland is positioned to continue its winning ways. Sales rose 7 percent from $2,003 million in 2003 to $2,141 million last year.

"The Printing Systems Division will benefit from its high backlog of orders for web-fed presses and a series of additional major orders in this segment, as well as from cost-reduction measures and the steps taken to streamline the sheetfed facilities in Offenbach," MAN AG declared. "The sheetfed sector is expected to break even in 2005."