Litho Supplies chairman John Byford has slated UK Drupa turnout after his firm reported sluggish half-year figures.


He said the 4.4m year-on-year drop in sales to 40.5m reflected uncertainty in the market, and called Drupas UK turnout three-fifths of FA.


Out of 600,000 visitors, around 5,000 were from the UK and those who go buy popcorn, he said.


Large exhibitions are becoming a farce. Technology changes every three months and nobody is going to wait for Drupa to buy or announce something.


The firm faced tough trading conditions and price cutting, which forced pre-tax profit down from 2.87m to 2.36m. However, joint managing director Gerry Mulvaney hoped for improved profits in 2001.


Sales of consumables dropped 2.8m to 31m, and electronic kit by 1.6m to 7m.


Byford said the results were expected: Our two closest competitors, Amberley and Wolstenholme Rink, have put out profit warnings this year and we are all in the same boat.


Litho Supplies is reshaping to make cost savings. This involves IT, and several customers have registered on two websites, litho.co.uk and muro.co.uk.


Earnings per share were 7.48p, down from 7.81p this time last year.


Story by Jez Abbott