A TROUBLED x-ray technology firm has turned the corner, despite a higher than expected loss last year.

Durham-based Bede, which supplies x-ray metrology tools to the semi-conductor industry, posted a loss of £2.9m for 2004.

But the year closed with a record-sized order book of £4.3m carried over to January - more than half of the total sales of £7.3m made in the entire previous 12 months.

Dr Neil Loxley, Bede chief executive, said: "The group enters 2005 having made substantial commercial and operational progress in 2004.

"We are pleased with the encouraging results in the fourth quarter of 2004 and expect to continue this positive momentum in the first quarter of 2005."

Unaudited sales in the fourth quarter of last year hit £4.2m, compared to £1.6m in 2003. This resulted in the company breaking even - coming out of the red for the first quarter since 2000.

Sales for the full year were £7.3m, compared to £4.1m last year. Bede also raised £1.5m by issuing 5.6 million shares.

The group will announce its audited preliminary results on April 5, 2005.