MAN Roland has announced record orders and sales for the first half of the year even though little of the Drupa effect has so far filtered through.


The company recorded sales of 1.127bn (Euro 1.848bn), an increase of 10% on last year. Orders were up 17% to 1.277bn. Pre-tax profit was 48.2m compared to 1999s 42m.


MAN Roland senior manager for corporate communications Martin Leonhard said: "Almost none of the figures are down to the so-called Drupa effect. Figures will be even stronger in the second half of the year as the Drupa orders become sales."


Leonhard said that MAN Rolands increase in sales could be attributed to increased productivity due to restructuring: "We made extremely good progress in the web offset arena as well as trade and services, although we didnt do as well in sheetfed."


At the end of the month MAN Roland will install its first pilot DICOweb but Leonhard refused to divulge the whereabouts of the beta site.


"We should start delivery of the DICOweb on a broad scale in the summer of 2001," he added.


Impac and Wyndeham both signed up for DICOwebs at Drupa, with Impac taking an option on five of the presses (PrintWeek, 26 May).


Story by John Davies