Sarine Technologies, which supplies equipment to diamond manufacturers, saw sales increase in the first quarter, reflecting improved sentiment in the cutting and polishing sector.
Group revenue for the period grew 5% year on year to $16.3 million, the Israel-based company reported Sunday. Sales to India, its largest market, rose 6.4% to $13 million, outweighing a 14% drop in sales to Israel, which amounted to $906,000. Revenue from Europe leapt 25% to $597,000.
Sarine, which sells diamond-mapping technology and other equipment, is considered a bellwether for the strength of the manufacturing sector. The company noted that rough sales by De Beers and other miners in the first quarter had been higher than a year earlier, with steady prices indicating positive sentiment in the industry. The rough producers took advantage of this optimism to sell off goods that had accumulated during the market downturn in the second half of 2015, Sarine explained — suggesting that this trend had helped boost the company’s revenue.
