After seeing its full-year operating profit crash from €28.5m in 2008 to €16.7m last year, the Hohenstein-based firm acknowledges the figure may fall as low as €9m this year.

The eroded profit forecast comes on the back of several deals that appear to have fizzled. In June the company announced an €92m follow-on order from an Indian maker of solar cells, but it now acknowledges that deal is on the verge of falling through.

“Further