Minproc Engineers Ltd said yesterday it was optimistic it would further leave behind the recent turbulence in its performance and lift net profit to between $6 million and $8 million this financial year.

The Perth-based engineering and construction group yesterday confirmed it had absorbed a $19 million abnormal loss in 1996-97 stemming from cost over-runs on the Yolanda Nitrates project in Chile, dragging its net loss for the 12 months to $23.6 million.