Meyer Burger, among the world’s leading PV toolmakers, turned in a 2012 operating loss of CHf135.4m ($143.4m), compared to a surplus of CHf116.7m the year prior.

Revenues plummeted from CHf1.32bn in 2011 to CHf645.2m last year – and the company predicts sales of just CHf400m in 2013.

Sharp as Meyer Burger’s 2012 sales decline was, however, it was proportionately less severe than across the broader PV production-equipment sector, which includes rivals like Centrotherm, Applied Materials and GT Advanced.

Industry-wide