Avon calls up turnaround

With revenues for the year ended 30 September up from £55 million last time to £92 million and pre-tax profit turned from a £3.9 million loss to a positive £3.5 million, chief executive Peter Slabbert said: "The 2009 results demonstrate that we can deliver in our chosen markets. Our strong order book, dominant market positions in defence respiratory protection and dairy liners, supported by technologically superior products, growing brand strength and high competitive entry barriers, should enable us to continue to improve profit margins." The company said it had benefitted from significant orders from the UK MoD and US DoD. It had demonstrated its manufacturing capability for its 50 Series mask and associated filters for the DoD contract which had been delivered to schedule. It had begun the relocation of its European dairy manufacturing from its facility at Melksham in Wiltshire to a subcontractor based in the Czech Republic, a move it said would improve future profits.