Despite predicted cost increases, the company's trading update said the business performed well in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the US, although it excluded research sales. Margins have been hit by currency fluctuations, especially the weakness experienced by the dollar.

Uncertainty in the US research market, caused by the delay in US Congress's passage of national research budgets for 2007 fiscal year, saw sales slump below expectations in the past three months, with some customers putting off purchases until the budgets were finalised.

With the budgets now agreed, Andor said it is expecting sales in this area to pick up during the second half of the financial year, with India, China and Eastern Europe, also expected to grow further.

The company, which began as a spin-out venture from Queen's University in Belfast, has offices in the US, China and Japan. Andor also announced that it had appointed Titan Electro-Optics as a distributor in China and Taiwan.

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