Bossard Group reported first half 2012 sales of CHF251.4 million. In local currency terms this represented a 0.5 percent increase on same period 2011. In Swiss Francs sales fell 0.4 percent.

Consolidated net income for the first six months 2012 totalled CHF22.1 million (2011: CHF25.1 million), representing a return on sales of 9.1 percent compared to 10.3 percent for first half 2011. First half 2012 sales and income showed significant improvement compared to the second half of 2011.

Analysed by region, European half-year sales fell 2.6 percent in local currency, equating to a 5.1 percent decline in Swiss Francs to CHF136 million. Asian sales fell by 5.5 percent in both local currency and Swiss Francs to CHF39.8 million. American sales contributed CHF8.8 million additional sales year on year, to CHF75.6 million – up 10.5 percent in local currency.

Given the current return to a climate of uncertainty as a result of the continuing euro crisis and a downtown in Asian sales, Bossard anticipates slack demand overall in the second half of 2012. The Group says, in this challenging market environment, it will continue to pursue its defined market and product development strategy “even if this should be at the expense of results in the short term”.