Total sales reached EUR56.7 million in the second quarter of 2009, and although this represented a 14% drop compared with the same period in 2008, the company's order book is suddenly looking a lot healthier.
The company’s sales are dominated by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) systems, which are used to deposit epitaxial material on wafers that are subsequently processed to make LED chips.
Like its rival Veeco Instruments, Aixtron has seen a surge in orders, particularly from customers looking to manufacture LEDs for use in LCD TV backlights. This could create a market for LED chips of around 26 billion units by 2012.
“We have seen a remarkable improvement in outlook,” remarked Paul Hyland, Aixtron's CEO, adding that he believed the turnaround to be a sustainable one, due in part to the long-term commitment and financial strength of new entrants into the LED business.
Aixtron’s revenue expectations for the year have been increased to EUR230-350 million, from the previous value of EUR200-220 million.
