KBA has posted encouraging third-quarter results and is on course to record its highest sales and profit figures in its 184-year history.

For the quarter to 30 September, the company recorded a 31.5% increase in sales, compared with the same time last year at 590.8m (E948.7m), split almost equally between sheetfed and web. Net income soared 87% to 37.3m.

However, orders were down 12% to 531.1m compared with last year, which was boosted by Drupa.

KBA investor relations manager Jan Stradtmann said the firm had been shielded from the general economic slowdown because about 50% of its revenues came from large newspaper presses.

"We also provide presses for niche markets like security and rotogravure, which are more secure," said Stradtmann.

KBA is planning to convert non-voting preference shares, giving it a total of 60m voting ordinary shares, in a bid to attract further investment.

"International investment companies are not fond of non-voting shares. So we hope to get more investment and access to international markets," said Stradtmann.

KBA will also merge its subsidiary DI business, Karat Digital Press, into the parent company from the new year.