Optical digital media and semiconductor production equipment manufacturer Steag HamaTech (Sternenfels / Germany; www.steag-hamatech.com) has reported an operating loss of EUR 11.5m for 2005, compared with a loss of EUR 3.2m in 2004. Sales declined to EUR 105m from EUR 149m. The company suffered the effect of a EUR 11.7m deferral of tax assets in September, which widened the net loss for 2005 to EUR 23.4m, compared with a net loss of EUR 3.2m the previous year.

Steag attributed the worsening earnings situation to difficult conditions in the optical disc market. In December 2005, the company said it was not likely to reach its sales target for the year of EUR 115m. Earlier this year, optical media group Singulus Technologies (Kahl / Germany; www.singulus.com) said it had widened its shareholding in former rival Steag to 78.7% – see Plasteurope.com Web of 01.03.2006.