Austrian printed circuit board maker AT&S, Europe's market leader, said Tuesday it might lower production capacity, even as its second-quarter net profit rose by 9.3 per cent to a record 13.6 million euros (18.2 million dollars).
In the three-month period ending in September, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) increased by 4 per cent, to 14.9 million euros.
Revenues dropped to 119 million euros, 6 per cent lower than in the second business quarter last year.
As the global economic slowdown translated into lower plant utilization in the first and early second quarter, revenue and margins came under pressure, AT&S said in its statement.
"Although capacity utilization at AT&S' plants is at present good, it is to be expected that the overall economic situation and global competition will make 2009 a difficult year," the company said.
Therefore, capacity adjustments in Austrian plants could not be excluded, it said.
AT&S also has production sites in China, India and Korea.
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