RECORD PROFITS FOR BROTHER UK

[Anonymous]

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/business/s/1048488_record_profits_for_brother_uk
Record profits for Brother UK
PRINTERS
to sewing machines supplier Brother UK today unveiled record annual
profits despite a modest rise in sales, as it focused on dearer goods
and benefited from the pound’s strength for most of the year.Brother
UK, which has its headquarters in Audenshaw, Tameside, said profits
leapt almost 60 per cent during the year to March 31, from £5.9m to
£9.33m, even though revenues increased by just under £1m to £101.46m as
fierce competition forced down average selling prices.The company,
which is celebrating 40 years in Greater Manchester, said its
performance was boosted by the launch of high-value colour laser
printers last August.

Brother UK has so far sold 8,000 of the
all-in-one printing, scanning, copying and faxing machines.A resurgence
in demand for sewing machines helped Brother to notch 70,000 sales,
while it sold 115,000 handheld electronic labelling devices, used by
tradesmen and in warehouses and offices for racking and filing
systems.The company supplied 200,000 inkjet all-in-one machines and
140,000 mono laser printers, representing a 10 per cent increase for
both ranges.Phil Jones, Brother UK’s sales and marketing director, said
he was pleased with the company’s performance amid increasingly
competitive trading conditions.”I’ve seen examples where you can buy
multi-function printers from £29, so our focus has been on higher-value
products.”We have also benefited from the strength of sterling against
the euro until recently and from a strong after-sales market for our
toners, cartridges and other items.”In addition, our drive to become
more energy-efficient has helped us reduce our consumption by 27 per
cent, which has also benefited our results.”We are in very good shape
and are positive about the outlook for the business.”We have some great
technology which can help SMEs become more efficient.”

Brother
UK, which is owned by Japan’s Brother Industries, is targeting sales of
£113m this year and profits growth of around four per cent.Its core
customers are businesses with fewer than 49 employees.The company shed
around 20 jobs during the year when it transferred its warehouse
operation to Leicester and outsourced the service to DHL.The company
now has around 200 staff, responsible for sales, marketing and customer
support.In February, it appointed Hiroshi Miura as managing director to
succeed John Sasaki.

[Author]

May 7, 2008 at 2:33 PM