Incoming orders grew by 78 percent to EUR 322.5 million (previous year: EUR 181.6 million). The company thus set new records in terms of incoming orders and sales. The pre-tax result rose by 37 percent to EUR 28.0 million (previous year: EUR 20.4 million). The return before taxes was 13.0 percent (previous year: 12.0 percent). With these results, Basler has met the forecast despite a cyber attack in November and grew faster than the German market for image processing components: The German Machinery and Plant Engineering Association (VDMA) reports an increase in sales of 17 percent for the industry in 2021 and a 28 percent increase in new orders.

Challenges in the procurement of semiconductor components are expected to remain the limiting factor for growth in the 2022 financial year. Furthermore, the war in Ukraine and the associated political unrest are leading to new uncertainties, the effects of which are currently still difficult to foresee.

However, the most recent growth signals in all sales regions make management fundamentally optimistic for the new financial year. Based on the current information, the Basler Group plans to achieve sales of between EUR 235 million and EUR 265 million in the 2022 financial year. Depending on the level of sales, this would result in a pre-tax return of between 9 percent and 12 percent. This assessment is based on a sustained strong investment cycle combined with slight improvements in the supply chains. The relatively wide corridor reflects the current dynamics on the sales and procurement markets as well as the integration of the recently acquired distribution partners in Korea. This forecast is in line with the Group's ambitious medium-term planning of achieving sales of around EUR 400 million by the end of 2025 with an average EBT margin of 12 percent.