Group order intake for the first three periods of the year was €1,001m (£849m), up 46.7% from €682.3m in the first three quarters of 2009.

Results were aided by the web and press division, which increased its orders by 73.6% to €539.2m, and the sheetfed offset division winning contracts worth €158.4m in the third quarter, increasing the nine-month total to €462m, up from €371.7m in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, order backlog for the group was at €564.1m on 30 September, which represented a 26.3% gain on the same period 12 months earlier.

Turnover for the third quarter rose from €284.5m to €298.9m, while pre-tax profit rose from €9.6m to €15.3m.

Overall the manufacturer recorded a turnover of €772.1m, up from €737.3m for the first nine months of 2009, while operating loss dropped from €37.8m to €6.7m.

KBA president and chief executive Helge Hansen said: "Over the last nine months we have again made considerable advances, particularly in our sheetfed division, which beside big press installations also manufacturers equipment for diverse niche applications, has also come a long way in adjusting to a much smaller market in the medium term.

"Our efforts are finally reflected in the bottom line. While these figures are no cause for celebration, they are pretty impressive for an industry that has been hit hard by the economic crisis and changes in the media marketplace."

Hansen added that pre-tax profit for 2010 are set to exceed expectations in which case it will consider paying a dividend – its first in two years.