The 2010-2011 fiscal year featured the biggest sales increase — 51 percent — in the company's history, Germany-based laser and machine tools maker Trumpf Group announced Friday. The year was its second-most successful overall. Sales for the fiscal year, which ended in June, surpassed €2 billion (about $2.9 billion), while last year's total was €1.34 billion (about $1.9 billion). Orders for the year reached an all-time high of €2.2 billion, even exceeding the pre-financial crisis benchmark of €2.15 billion posted for 2007-2008, the company said. "In view of the fact that the worldwide financial crisis brought the German manufacturing industry to its knees, these preliminary sales figures are good news," said Trumpf President Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller. She added that the fiscal year was the second-most successful in company history. Trumpf Inc. CEO Rolf Biekert said North American sales were also better than projected, "and we have every reason to expect this trend to continue throughout the entire 2011-2012 fiscal year." While Trumpf won't announce its official earnings figures until Oct. 19, "We are expecting profits to hit triple digits in the millions," Leibinger-Kammüller said. The company currently has 8550 employees and said it has an additional 500 open positions it is seeking to fill. For more information, visit: www.trumpf.com