According to the print manufacturer's preliminary figures for the three months to June 30 2010, orders were up nearly 16% on the €678m taken the previous quarter and up 43% on the €550m made in the same period last year.

Preliminary free cashflow for the quarter is expected to be in the region of between €50m and €60m, which is up on the €29m loss from Q1 2009.

The company said that, while there was a continuing weakness in the US and Japanese markets, parts of Europe, Asia, South America and China were showing "considerable improvement".

Improved demand, coupled with favourable exchange rate movements, have meant that preliminary sales during the three months reached €560m from €514m in the year previous, the results indicated.

The manufacturer was keen to point out that the initial upturn "does not point to any continuation or substantial improvements of this development in the remainder of the financial year compared to earlier forecasts of the free cashflow for financial year 2010/11".

Heidelberg will publish its first quarter results on 10 August 2010.