FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Forklift truck manufacturer Kion has made a better start to the current year than expected. Sales and profits were somewhat higher than analysts and investment banks had previously expected. Incoming orders, on the other hand, fell short of expectations. Kion felt the effects of macro-economic uncertainties in the supply of automated warehouse technology. The management confirmed its forecast for the year, the MDax company announced in Frankfurt on Thursday.

At just over 2.4 billion euros, incoming orders remained virtually at the previous year's level. Turnover rose slightly to 2.86 billion euros, with the forklift truck business growing and the automation business declining. Adjusted for special effects, earnings before interest and taxes (ber EBIT) improved by over 45 percent to almost 227 million euros. The bottom line for shareholders was a profit of almost 109 million euros, compared to a good 72 million euros in the previous year./lew/stk