Croma Security Regulatory News (CSSG)

3 Sep 2007 07:00

Croma Group PLC03 September 2007 3 SEPTEMBER 2007 CROMA GROUP PLC ("Croma" or "the Group") TRADING UPDATE Croma Group, the AIM listed surveillance, security and homeland defencespecialist, updates shareholders today on new business wins, a significantimprovement in turnover and industry standards approvals. KEY POINTS • Record month of trading in July; • Strong performance reported for the month of August; • September trading looking robust; • £250,000 contract signed with the Ministry of Defence; • Vigilant awarded Approved Contractor Status by the Security Industry Authority (SIA); • R&D Design awarded the EASA Part of the 145 European Aerospace Safety Agency and achieving a record level of sales; and • All remaining Group subsidiaries enjoying uplifts in trading performance. Trading The new financial year has started well with all time record levels of turnoverand related trading for July with orders in hand with a further strongperformance so far in August and with the same expectations for September basedon orders having been delivered and in the course of delivery. Croma Vigilant Limited Croma Vigilant, a subsidiary within the Group specialising on providingprofessional asset protection services ranging from key point guardingoperations, close protection, training and investigations, announces that it hassecured a contract signed with the Ministry of Defence ("MoD") valued at circa£250,000. This, together with contracts signed with the MoD, in January bringsthe value of the current MoD contracts to approximately £800,000. CromaVigilant has also reported that it has been awarded the highly regarded ApprovedContractor Status (ACS) by the Security Industry Authority (SIA). Croma Vigilant Limited continues to perform well as represented by the secondMoD contract which has been awarded to them on the basis of the high standard ofperformance being provided by the company on the initial contract received inJanuary. Croma R&D Design Services Croma R&D Design Services, the Group's avionics subsidiary providing provenairborne, maritime and ground based surveillance solutions to the Avionics andDefence industries at home and abroad, also announces that it has been awardedthe EASA part 145 European Aerospace Safety Agency. This is an importantdevelopment as it allows the company to repair and maintain equipment on civilaircraft in addition to the existing recognition it has in terms of militaryequivalents. Croma R&D Design Services is also achieving extremely high levels in sales inpart as a result of orders being delivered which were delayed from the previousquarter, but also as a result of additional business. Croma Shawley and Croma Photobase The Group's other two operations Croma Photobase, delivering thumbprint andfacial recognition access systems, and the Group's CCTV operation division,Croma Shawley, are also seeing increased levels of orders and sales. Commenting on these developments John French, Chairman, stated: "We are very pleased indeed with all that is happening at this moment in timewithin the Group across all our subsidiaries. The improved performance reflectsall the hard work that has gone on within the Group during this last twelvemonths or so to establish new customers, and achieve a wider exposure to theexisting and new products that have been developed during this period of time.It always takes a while for smaller companies to make their mark, but theperformance of the Group, as it now stands, reflects the investment that hasbeen carried out. What is now being achieved in terms of hard numbers bodes wellfor the future". "The Group is still keen to enhance its position within the sector and with theimproved performance and hopeful recovery in its share price and in the marketin general the Group would wish to be opportunistic in terms of acquisition andmerger opportunities going forward." ---ends--- Enquiries: Croma Group plc John French, Chairman Mobile: 07836 722 482 Seymour Pierce Limited Mark Percy Tel: 020 7107 8000 Bishopsgate Communications Ltd. Tel: 020 7562 3350 Dominic Barretto Mobile: 07930 450 156 Jenni Herbert This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange