Taiwan-based industrial PC (IPC) maker Advantech has posted net profits of NT$3.04 billion (US$102.77 million) for 2010, increasing 73% from a year earlier. The earnings translated into an earning per share (EPS) of NT$6.01 for the year.

As for 2011, Advantech internally is aiming to achieve an on-year revenue growth of 20%, according to company chairman KC Liu.

Though the company saw its gross margin drop from 40.7% in 2009 to 39.1% in 2010 because of the Taiwan dollar's appreciation and increased design manufacturing and service (DMS) orders, which offered lower profitability, Advantech still managed to achieve strong on-year revenue and profit growth in 2010.

Advantech's revenues from the DMS business in 2010 grew 64% on year and accounted for 27% of the company's total revenues, while embedded computing business saw growth of 58% and a share of 31%. The industrial automation business grew 47% to share 18% of total revenues, the smart platform business went up 25% to take 9%, and its global customer service increased 39% to accounted for 15%.

Optimistic about the business opportunity from emerging markets, Advantech plans to expand its marketing and sales teams into such countries as India, Russia, Brazil, Israel, Turkey, Mexico and South Africa and expects to increase its total number of sales center by 10-15 within the next five years, which will help drive its revenues from US$60 million to US$200 million.

As for China, in addition to its existing sales center, Advantech plans to set up more sales centers across the country in 2011.