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Storage
module specialist books record sales
Swissbit
with sales growth of 18 percent in 2004;
1st quarter 2005 already 70 percent higher than pre-year
The Swissbit
Group, one of the leading providers of storage module products,
closed 2004 booking record sales. Turnover rose by 18 percent
to 165 million CHF resp. 140 million US dollars. The second half-year
registered a particularly positive growth - a trend that has also
continued into 2005. In the first three months of the running
year the Swiss Group booked a turnover of 65 million CHF, corresponding
to an increase of 70 percent as against the pre-year. Key factors
for this development are the overwhelming boost in the successful
retail business which was only launched in 2004, paired with the
consistent growth in COB technology and in extending the OEM activities.
According to a conservative estimate a sales growth of further
25% is expected for 2005.
"At the
beginning of last year we expected to book a sales growth, the
result, however, has exceeded our expectations by far", as
Daniele Tedesco, CFO of the Swissbit Group reports. Among others
the penetration into the retail business with USB storage devices
proved to be a successful strategy for Swissbit. Despite massive
competition and price pressure from the Far East Swissbit managed
to establish itself on the consumer market within only a few months
via renowned distributors thanks to its clear edge in technology
and design.
In particular the SWISSMEMORYTM USB Victorinox, the combination
between the original Swiss officer's knife and a high-quality
USB storage memory with a capacity of up to 1GB has developed
into a worldwide cult product, now being a key mainstay of sales
for Swissbit. "After venturing the retail channels in Europe
and the Mid East, the main focus of our activities this year will
be on the USA and Canada. Agreements with one of the key players
are just about to be undersigned", as Daniele Tedesco stated.
Parallel to those activities Swissbit plans to push the industrial
business in 2005 with COB modules (Chip-on-Board) in Europe, the
USA and Asia. Via its German subsidiary in Berlin the Group has
been active in COB assembly for more than 15 years. The Swissbit
subsidiary uses a patented manufacturing technology which is unique
in the world in order to mount more than four times the quantity
of chips on the same surface than in traditional SMT design. Depending
on the respective configuration Swissbit's COB technology is suitably
designed for a wide variety of markets, ranging from consumer
and upgrade products in trade via subcontracting to OEM partners
operating in the medical, industrial, and military environment
and for applications in the aviation business.
The most recent example demonstrating Swissbit's innovative impact
is the production of a Sting Healer on Chip-on-Flex basis. This
products helps to neutralise the inflammation and swelling after
insect bites. Tests conducted with herpes diseases also indicate
that the market potential lies a great deal higher. The industrial
COB modules are currently registering an increase of over 30 percent.
By a focused alignment of services and support in combination
with software and hardware products the company also registered
rapid growth in the OEM sector. Several key projects were successfully
concluded not only for storage modules, but also for USB storage
media. "In the OEM sector we are going to address further
key clients by consistently aligning our activities to services
in order to offer our wide product portfolio", as Roger Knobel,
CEO Swissbit AG announced.
"By carefully assessing the current situation, we assume
that we will succeed in raising the group sales by 25 percent
in 2005", as Daniele Tedesco explained. "In future we
will continue to invest one major part of profits in research
and development, in qualified staff as well as in our aims to
develop new markets in order to maintain our clear edge".
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Information
for the media:
For background information and requests for an interview
with Daniele Tedesco, CFO of the Swissbit Group, kindly
contact
Dirk Dembski - phone: +49 211 30065420 - email: press.swissbit@alavia.net
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Brief profile
of the Swissbit Group
With over 4 million memory products manufactured per year the
Swissbit Group is Europe's leading manufacturer of storage modules
for desktops, server/workstation models and notebooks in the PC
and Mac sector, as well as of USB Flash Memories and Compact Flash
Cards. Its core competencies also comprise job production for
renowned customers from all over the world. In-house test and
control laboratories, certification in compliance with ISO 9001
and the exclusive production in Switzerland and Germany guarantee
top quality; consistent investments in research and development
ensure a permanent lead start in terms of technology. The Swissbit
Group was established in 2001 by a Management buy-out from the
Siemens Schweiz AG and can look back on over ten years of experience
in total. The company currently employees a staff force of approx.
172 specialists with a rising tendency and is present throughout
the whole of Europe in addition to the headquarters in Bronschhofen/Switzerland
with a further production site in Berlin and branch offices in
the USA and Japan as well as agencies spread out all over Europe.
In 2004 the Swissbit Group turned over 165 million CHF resp. 140
million US dollars.
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