Valentin Gapontsev
Management
Michael, the first part of the question about Q1 gross margin, I think we were pleased given the revenue level with the gross margin that we achieved particularly given that we also had some higher inventory provisions. So the performance even relative to our guidance was better. I've not really attracted as to comparably what gross margin does Q1 to Q4, I don't tend to focus on that.So Mike, what I will say is in Q1, we've referenced that we've had these cost reduction initiatives that were started really in Q3 2019. They accelerated in Q4. So, one of the benefits we had in the first quarter with those cost reduction initiatives flowed more completely and fully through the business model.As Eugene mentioned, the total amount of expenses that we incurred in the first quarter were both manufacturing and operating, we haven’t spit it out between the two was $20 million lower. A significant part of that compared, for example, to the middle of last year was on the manufacturing side, so partly due to lower activity but lower head count because of some of the restructuring, fewer contractors used in certain locations.So, it's really around the way that we try to manage the cost base of the business and some of that wasn't even really clearly because we started this last year. it wasn't related to the pandemic taking hold. These were operational initiatives that we had started to execute upon over the last six and nine monthsWith regard to the future, I think the thing that is most pertinent to that, so we're not fundamentally changing the range of revenue that needs to be achieved for the business model to show decent leverage in it. I think as we get back above $300 million, transition to $330 million, $350 million, we get into a much more comfortable position.And if we can grow revenue to $370 million or $400 million, we think that we will be again getting back towards close to 50% margin in particular if some of that growth comes from our leading edge products that we're introducing to the market, whether it's not just the higher power lasers for cutting but some of the AMB lasers for welding, the new product in ultrafast, the green lasers, the more advanced systems, the medical devices, the devices for medical procedures.So, all of those as those have started to show strength and then some of the defense applications and we shipped another 100-kilowatt laser this quarter, these are all things that over time should benefit the business model.So there’s no fundamental change in seeing some accretion and leverage out of gross margin that we expect to happen as revenues starts to recover.