Half-year results of Photo-Me

Sales of the company’s operation business, which comprises the operation of unattended vending equipment, primarily photo booths, digital photo kiosks, photobook makers and amusement machines, increased 3.5 percent to £ 97.1 million (US$ 153-1 million/Euro 115.8 million). Operating profit grew 31.6 percent to £ 15.4 million (US$ 24.3 million/Euro 18.4 million). Photo-Me’s sales and servicing business, which comprises the development, manufacture, sale and after-sale service of the above mentioned operations equipment and a range of photo processing equipment, declined 10.5 percent to £ 21.3 million (US$ 33.6 million/Euro 25.4 million); operating profit dropped 73 percent to £ 0.6 million (US$ 0.95 million/Euro 0.72 million).

According to a press release, Photo-Me started the volume production of the Photobook Maker last year and is now in preparation for the future delivery of the Photobook Maker orders received in the first half. The total installed base today is around 1,500 units, the company said, adding that it has received considerable interest from a number of OEMs, resulting in orders for a total of 1,300 Pocketbook machines which will be delivered over the coming months. Photo-Me also announced a memorandum of understanding which has been signed recently with a major OEM for the delivery of 1,000 Photobook Builders by July 2011. These will be the first deliveries against the common target of 5,000 machines, the company said.