CORRECTION: A previous version incorrectly stated FuelCell’s first-quarter 2013 and 2012 revenue totals.
Danbury’s FuelCell Energy Inc. deepened its flow of red ink in the fiscal first quarter but not enough to stem its tide of more than 50 new hires at its Torrington production plant.
For three months ended Jan. 31, FuelCell lost $12.5 million, or 7 cents a diluted share, wider than the $6.7 million, or nickel a share, lost the comparable period a year ago.
First-quarter revenues were $36.4 million vs. $31.3 million a year earlier.
FuelCell said among the many steps taken in the first quarter to cope with its surging backlog of orders for its DirectFuelCell technology for converting chemical energy into electricity and heat was the ramp-up at its Torrington plant.
Backlog was $428.1 million at Jan. 31, up from $318.9 million at the close of its fiscal fourth quarter last Halloween.
At its Torrington plant at 539 Technology Park Drive, the company said, it hired more than 50 new workers who will enable it to boost production volumes, and with it, sales and profit margins.
The company’s Torrington operation went from about 220 at the start of the quarter to about 270 at quarter end. By May 1, it plans to have about 20 more workers at the plant, among them manufacturing-industrial engineers, officials said.
Some of that Torrington production will support FuelCell’s planned largest American fuel cell park in Bridgeport.
Dominion will develop and own the 14.9 megawatt facility, while Connecticut Light & Power will buy the electricity produced by the fuel cells under a 15-year fixed price energy purchase agreement.
FuelCell has said the park will support 160 direct manufacturing and maintenance jobs.
