AGM Statement
RNS
RNS Number : 9171Z
Pressure Technologies PLC
13 February 2014
13 February 2014
Pressure Technologies plc
("Pressure Technologies" or the "Group")
AGM Statement
The Board of Pressure Technologies plc issues the following trading update ahead of the Group's AGM, which is being held at 12.00 hours today at the Copthorne Hotel in Cardiff.
The Board is pleased to report a positive start to the year, which has been underpinned by strong order books and pipelines of prospective orders across the Group. At the end of January 2014, the total orders on hand were 39% higher than at the start of the current financial year and 100% higher than at the end of January 2013.
The Group's principal market, oil and gas, has continued to show resilience, and further progress has been made in the naval defence market and at Chesterfield BioGas. Our cylinder product range has also been expanded through our investment in Kelley GTM, manufacturers of welded-steel composite cylinders, which was announced on 13 December 2013. In line with the Group's strategy, the Board continues to seek and evaluate further acquisition opportunities.
Cylinders
Chesterfield Special Cylinders has continued to experience improving demand for its principal product range, air pressure vessels for deepwater semi-submersible oil rigs and drillships, although margins have been impacted by the now long standing pressure on prices from South Korean competition. Further contracts have been won in the naval defence market for submarine build programmes in Germany and Asia for delivery between 2014 and 2018. Sales of our high added value in-situ retest service continue to grow in both the oil and gas and defence markets.
The investment in Kelley GTM, via a loan that has partly converted into a 40% stake, gives the Group a low risk entry into the composite cylinders market and will, over the medium term, lead to the development of both welded and seamless steel lined composite cylinders for the compressed natural gas and hydrogen alternative fuels markets.
Engineered Products
Demand for products from Al-Met and Hydratron has continued to increase. In November 2013, both Al-Met and Hydratron took over £1,000,000 of new orders, a record for a single month.
The first stage of the planned capital investment at Al-Met has been completed, with the addition of an EDM wire cutting machine to expand our capability for the manufacture of components for large gate valves. The second stage, the purchase of a 5-axis mill turning machining centre, will be completed in the second half of the current financial year, giving an enhanced capability for the manufacture of stems for subsea trees. The combined cost of these investments is in the region of £750,000 and has been funded through finance leases.
Hydratron has completed the initial phase of the reorganisation of its manufacturing in the UK, creating more space for the assembly of control panels and test benches to meet the increase in manufacturing activity required to service its growing order book.
Both companies have also increased headcount since year end. Al-Met has recruited a number of skilled operators and additional apprentices, and Hydratron has recruited a specialist Research and Development manager and a number of graduate trainees in sales and engineering.
Alternative Energy
The momentum in Chesterfield BioGas' core market, the sale of biogas upgrading equipment for biogas-to-grid ("BtG"), is growing. Following on from the announcement of a £4.2 million order in January 2014, the division has this week secured a further order amounting to £1.8 million for a BtG project in Scotland. This takes the order book to £10.6 million with project delivery split between the 2014 and 2015 financial years. As with the other divisions, the pipeline of prospective projects remains buoyant.
Summary and outlook
Sales prospects across the Group are very strong and Pressure Technologies is performing in line with the Board's expectations at this stage of the year. The Board is confident that the outcome for the current financial year will be at least in line with market forecasts.