will it ever recover to the 38p i paid for them??

Last para of following article:

http://business.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4097103

Air cargo group Aerobox is trying to grab a slice of the market with a more robust freight box which distributes the load more evenly. Tests showed its boxes suffered 25% less damage than aluminium containers. Shares are interesting speculation at 18p.


Also rated an interesting speculation in "The Business" pink newspaper - can't get the web link yet but have the paper itself - text is as follows:

Transporting goods by air is risky. All cargo containers, the aluminium boxes that sit in a plane's hold, get bashed so often they need repairing twice a year. The fate of the goods inside is another story. Aerobox has a solution and is in a race to grab a slice of the market with a more robust freight box. The company's Aeroplaz thermoplastic panels have a honeycomb design - so the load is evenly distributed. The boxes can cut the expense of operating air cargo containers by half thanks to reduced damage.
Last month, Aerobox revealed that, after having flown 12,000 test flights, its boxes suffer damage rates that are less than 25% of those of aluminium containers.
The company's boxes are certified for use by the US and European aviation authorities, and production at its site in New Mexico is to be ramped up. The company now needs to win big orders. It has delivered 100 boxes each to Virgin Atlantic and Aer Lingus. Saudi Airlines is the biggest customer with an order for 500. Virgin is to receive 150 more.
The boxes sell for between 700 and 1,100 generating around 650,000 of turnover. The 2004 numbers will only show 300,000 of sales due to' timing of deliveries. So far the company has racked up losses have about 4.3m and 2005 is the big year when it must deliver higher turnover. Broker Seymour Pierce forecasts 1.8m pre-tax profit on l0m of sales this year. The orders need to start coming in fast to achieve this progress.
Assuming an average price of 800, the company has to book 12,500 box sales this year. There's the possibility of 1,500 more going to Virgin, and Aer Lingus has an option to buy 900 more, but the company will need bigger airlines to commit. Trials are taking place with a third of the world's top 25 carriers. Competitors are unlikely to take Aerobox lying down. The company believes it has 18 months before rivals gain certification for similar boxes.
The shares have been as high as 41p in the heady days after flotation in 2003, but have slipped as low as 14p. On the face of it, the house broker's estimate of earnings per share of 1.7p for this year makes the shares look cheap - if the orders get delivered.
The share price will react sharply to trading rumours between now and the next results, probably in March, which should include guidance in whether the 2005 numbers are achievable. Until there's more certainty, the shares are an interesting speculation.

Andrew Griffiths is managing editor of the Aim & Ofex Newsletter

Does anyone know how many aluminium boxes are currently in circulation with the world's airlines ? If ARX boxes are so indestructible then repeat business looks like a non-starter. The value is mainly in expanding the first-time purchases!

Wakey Wakey People, In the Daily Mail today article by Brian O'Connor.

THE deserts of New Mexico have been home to scientific innovation since the fateful day in July 1945 when Robert Oppenheimer's team set off the first atomic bomb and changed the course of history.
Recent innovations from the US national laboratories are less shattering. At Sandia, south of Los Alamos, researchers spent years designing a better cargo container for airlines. Their work laid the foundations for Aim-quoted tiddler Aerobox.
The bulk of global air cargo moves in aluminium containers. These are light and strong, but when damaged, their jagged edges cause injuries and pose flight safety hazards. Typically they cost 500 each but annual repairs can cost 250 and take them out of service for two months each year.
The Sandia scientists worked on light carbon and boron composites but these were too brittle. A group of private investors developed a coating of glass fibre on a 'honeycomb' base of polypropylene, baked and laminated for extra strength. This proved so resilient that it was intact after being dropped from 60 feet.
In 1988, the group formed Aerospace Composite Structures. In March 2003, UK investors led by Michael Edelson bought ACS for 8.4m and floated on Aim as Aerobox. Edelson, nicknamed 'Shell-meister', has launched a string of companies.

Both the UK Civil Aviation Authority and the US FAA have now cleared most of the designs.The first 100 boxes were made in 2003 and Aerobox opened its own factory in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, last April.
Finance director Richard Scott says the boxes sell at a 50pc premium to aluminium containers but save up to 80pc on repair costs and pay for themselves within two years. Each box can save an airline around 500 over five years.
The first takers - Virgin Atlantic and Aer Lingus - were each given 10 boxes free. Virgin went on to order 250, Aer Lingus 100 with an option on 900. Saudi Arabian Airlines has ordered 500 and may take more.
There are almost lm containers in use around the world. Airlines spend 75m to 150m a year replacing them. Cargo trade is growing at 6pc a year.
Aerobox's target is to win lOpc of the market within a year and ultimately 25pc-plus, making it the industry standard.
This is high ambition for a company valued at 24m. The shares, which hit 39'/2p a year ago, have come back to 17p. Rivals, the aluminium giants Alcan and Nordisk, are pricing aggressively.
Aerobox raised 4.8m in November but could need more. Last year it had a wrangle with Watermark which was marketing the box.
To become cash neutral, Aerobox needs to sell 600 boxes a month. One-third of the top 25 airlines have agreed to try them. There is also interest from builders and car and truck makers.
You may need patience but the shares have a great deal of long-term promise.

excellent post. thx cavman2

And from me.cavman2( albeit belatedly)

Spread has come down from 10 to 5 and we had a few buys today.

i am getting tempted....

Proptrade,
Go on you know it makes sense. Well at least have a little dabble.

ok...by the end of the week...just a dabblr though

Obviousy another believer in the ARX story.

AeroBox plc
22 February 2005



AEROBOX PLC

(the 'Company')

Holdings in Company

The Company was informed on 21 February 2005 that Framlington Investment
Management Limited holds 13,178,572 ordinary shares in the Company. These shares
represent 9.80% of the Company's current issued share capital of 134,509,309
shares.



- Ends -

Enquiries:

Richard Scott Finance Director, AeroBox plc +44 7986 423891

Trevor Phillips Holborn +44 207 929 5599
Jonathan Wright Seymour Pierce +44 207 107 8000

Website:


www.aeroboxplc.com


Notes to Editors:

The Aerobox air cargo container is the result of a decade of research and
development into composite structure panels. The strength and thermal resistance
of the AeroplazTM thermoplastic composite panels enables Aerobox to develop
custom made solutions for a wide range of applications. The unique construction
of AeroplazTM provides for improved strength and durability that can reduce
costly repairs by over 75% as well as improving reliability, utilisation and
safety.

Morning everyone - old friends and new faces alike.

Dipped my toe in at 20.75p (my intraday timing was always crap!) after a BUY recommend in RHPSG.

With the cc against Watermark settled, regulatory approval in US, UK, EU and actual boxes in use with Virgin etc and several airlines with orders, this looks like a no brainer from hereon in. Apart from the much cheaper mainitenance costs (in spite of higher initial purchase price, which will come down as volume increases, I am sure) I especially like the application to specialist cargo with refrigeration units being developed and lower spoilage rates for e.g. drugs - worth more than the cheap maintenance in the long run.

Plus, once the airlines business is up and running, think of the other applications for this fibre panel technology. I do love a fundamental invention with multiple applications to existing industries.

After a somewaht volatile 12 months, let's hope we've got it wrapped up now.

SD

Lets hope so SD wish I had more cash to average down as bought in at 30p... Oh well...

Any forecasts, Stockdog?

With only 146m shares in issue and with today's volume, I'd have expected a bigger rise. How's the money situation with this firm? Is there likely to be an issue to raise working cash?

Sorry, make that 134m.

whats the jackanory today??? obviously mentioned in a weekend roundup...

Still learning this one - but the principle is like SEO and DOO/BFC - it's gotta happen and the bad news of last year seems settled with all key steps (regulatory and in tests with one third of world's 25 top airlines) in place for mass launch.

They hope to achieve 10% market share this year and 25% by 2009.

Seymour Pierce estimate total sales 2009 of 55m and profit before interest of 9.2m - on Paulo2's figure of stock in issue at 20p that's a 4 years forward PE or 2.9 before interest and tax.

SD

Anyone any thoughts on why it's not ticking up with all these buys going through? Am very tempted but don't want to get burned!!!

I can't believe this, I think its a dream and I am going to wake up any minute.

What?

So many buys.