Skip to main content

Q-Free preparing for new projects

Q-Free has announced revenues of US$21.11 million during the first quarter 2012 compared to US$29.66 million in the corresponding quarter in 2011, while order intake came in at $44.29 million, $6.45 million more than in previous quarter and $2.96 million more than in Q1-2011, reflecting, the company says, that its general optimism regarding demand is well grounded.
April 27, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
108 Q-Free has announced revenues of US$21.11 million during the first quarter 2012 compared to US$29.66 million in the corresponding quarter in 2011, while order intake came in at $44.29 million, $6.45 million more than in previous quarter and $2.96 million more than in Q1-2011, reflecting, the company says, that its general optimism regarding demand is well grounded.

Most important short term is the development in the Jakarta project which Q-Free signed at the end of October, 2011, with PT Rin for the delivery of an electronic law enforcement (ELE) system for Jakarta (DKI) and greater area of Jakarta (Bodetabek). Based on Q-Free's latest tolling solutions, it will be used by the local police for controlling traffic in Jakarta. The purpose of the system is to provide a more efficient system for registration and control of registered vehicles in Indonesia and will improve the efficiency of the local police to enforce stolen vehicles, fake number plates and security related incidents. The potential contract value is some US$167 million for road side infrastructure, operational back office, tags and a service and a maintenance contract for six years. More than half of the contract value is related to delivery of tags.

Although the financing for the project is not concluded yet, Q-Free reports that good progress has been made. 5320 GIEK has approved to give guarantees for the project and 5321 Eksportfinans and Q-Free’s client are currently negotiating the loan agreement. It is expected that this will be signed during May 2012.

The $44.29 million order intake in the quarter is comprised of congestion charging infrastructure in Gothenburg, Sweden, a tag frame agreement with Spanish operator Abertis, AutoPASS contracts in Norway, an access control contract with Brisbane Airport in Australia, a tag order from 3843 Via Verde, Portugal, and other smaller product orders from various markets. The Group’s order backlog totalled US$103.75 at the end of the first quarter 2012 compared to $80.57 at the end of the fourth quarter 2011.

“Our order intake this quarter indicates the high market activity,” says Q-Free CEO Øyvind Isaksen. The company communicated last quarter an addressable opportunity pipeline of US$872 million - $2.62 billion globally for the next three years, and Isaksen says he sees no reasons to revise this. ”We are working on company changing projects and believe it is just a matter of time before breakthrough in new markets.”

The company targeted US$174.42 million in revenue with EBIT level exceeding 10 % for 2012. As the financial close for the Jakarta project is somewhat delayed, the key assumption for the year target is not met. Even so, Q-Free says it still aims to be in the range of the target, depending on kick-off of the Jakarta project in May and conclusion on other projects in the first half of the year.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Progress with RFID in China
    August 19, 2015
    In its new report, RFID in China 2015-2025, IDTechEx Research has identified over 150 Chinese companies supplying RFID and tracked how the industry in China will grow to become a US$4.3 billion opportunity in 2025. Historically, the development of RFID in China has been heavily supported by the Chinese government. These include large projects such as national identification cards, passports and subway ticket applications. The entry barrier is usually high for those applications, as the suppliers need to
  • Provisional results from latest TISPOL 24-hour speed enforcement marathon
    April 21, 2017
    Police officers across Europe conducted their latest 24-hour ‘speed marathon’, from 0600 on Wednesday 19 April to 0600 on Thursday 20 April, as of TISPOL’s week-long speed enforcement operation. The operation involved 10,507 police officers and 16 countries provided results from 8,281 speed control sites. Adverse weather forced the cancellation of speed enforcement measures in Hungary and restricted enforcement activity in Croatia. 1,042,493 vehicles were checked during the initiative and 19,615 offences we
  • Taking virtual control of the control room
    June 9, 2020
    When you can’t meet customers face to face, it creates problems for all businesses. But Adam Hill finds that the control room tech sector has been adapting
  • WA government announces major cycle infrastructure investment
    September 5, 2017
    The Western Australia Government to provide an investment of US$103 million (AU$129 million) over the next four years for improvements across the State's cycling network. The funding will allow at least 95 kilometres of cycling path to be added to the network, as well as a range of community cycling initiatives. It includes US$44 million (AU$55 million) towards filling gaps on the current Principal Shared Path (PSP) network around Perth and US$23 million (AU$29 million) in grants for local governments.