Dusseldorf - Fujifilm, the Japanese group, said Friday its
total sales in Europe had been steady last year, slightly increasing
to 2.8 billion euros (3.7 billion dollars).
Fujifilm offers its products in 20 European nations. A Fujifilm
spokeswoman said European sales made up 16 per cent of Fujifilm's
world sales and this proportion was tending upwards.
Fujifilm Europe chief executive Shigehiro Nakajima said he was
'cautiously optimistic' about sales, despite a difficult market
environment and the recession.
Following a restructuring, a large part of sales now derives from
the information business, Fujifilm's term for medical technology,
graphic computer systems, flat-screen materials and the like.
Imaging, the familiar Fujifilm product range embracing cameras,
film, photographic papers and photographic laboratory equipment, made
up 70 per cent of European sales just a decade ago. It contributes
only 19 per cent of European turnover today.
'By refocussing and diversifying, we are thrusting against the
crisis and we are cautiously optimistic,' said the spokeswoman, Petra
Fujiwara.
She said the group was also disadvantaged by the high commodity
price of its key raw materials, including silver and aluminium, as
well as the strength of the yen. Fujifilm expected those factors to
keep hurting its profitability in the current year.
According to a downgraded forecast back in August 2008, the group
now expects worldwide operational earnings equivalent to about 1
billion euros.
'Of course we are feeling the recession, but at Fujifilm we are
talking about the size of our earnings, not the size of losses,' said
Fujiwara.
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