8.3m loss forces AOT focus

Applied Optical Technologies is tightening up its European and American set-ups to help ease it into profit after a loss of 8.3m before tax.

AOTs business-improvement programme aims to build on its preliminary results for the year to April.

Despite operating profits of 400,000 against last years loss of 1.5m, the cost of streamlining its European set-ups and writing down share prices led to the 8.3m pre-tax loss.

Chairman David Mahony said it had been a transitional year and he expected an increased number of big contracts. Turnover rose 7% to 30.6m. AOT passed tests in February to become an accredited supplier to currency producers and has a brand-protection contract for the 2004 Olympics.