France-based aerial manufacturer Haulotte Group reported consolidated third-quarter sales of €48.7 million (about U.S. $72.3 million) compared with €118.1 million for the same period last year, a decline of 58.8 percent. However, the business has stabilized at a level of activity of about €50 million per quarter since the beginning of fiscal year 2009.
Nine-month consolidated sales were €148.5 million (about U.S. $220.4 million) compared with €376.8 million for the first nine months of 2008, a 60.6-percent decrease. Equipment sales represented 70.6 percent of total revenue, compared with 86.7 percent last year.
European sales declined 68.5 percent to €103.8 million (about U.S. $154.1 million); sales in North America increased 39 percent to €25.4 million (about U.S. $37.7 million) including €16.9 million from Bil-Jax. Asia and Latin America represented 8.4 percent and 5.4 percent of total revenue respectively, with respective year-over-year drops of 15 percent and 51 percent.
The company does not expect recovery in 2009, citing customers’ “wait-and-see strategy regarding investment and the limitation in obtaining finance.”
