11 Oct 2010

Scott Technology increases earnings

7:30 am on 11 October 2010

Scott Technology is expecting its joint venture with listed meat processor Silver Fern Farms to grow strongly this year, as sales of its high-tech meat cutting robots start to take off.

The Dunedin-based company, which also makes production lines for appliance manufacturers and miners, increased its full year earnings more than tenfold to nearly $4 million.

Revenue increased by half to $47 million.

Scott Technology's joint venture with Silver Fern Farms, called Robotic Technologies, contributes about a tenth of the company's revenues, though it's still largely in the development phase.

Chief executive Chris Hopkins says there's increasing interest in the new technology, and he expects the venture to generate strong growth this year.

Mr Hopkins says its current expertise lies in lamb processing, where its main markets are New Zealand and Australia, but has had interest from Wales and Russia.

He says Scott Technology is developing its technology for beef boning, which will have a much wider market, particularly in North and South America.