Covid hygiene move powered sales for beauty products firm

Sales and profits rise for manufacturer

Swift changes in production helped a Peterborough beauty products maker shrug off the impact of Covid and send sales and profits rising.

Beauty and lifestyle products manufacturer Creightons, which has 340 staff in Lincoln Road, Werrington, had endured a £400,000 hit in delayed sales after the Covid-19 outbreak.

An emergency board decision to divert some of the manufacturing process to the production of hand sanitis- ers and a hand cream-based sanitant brought its own rise in sales.

The rapid action helped drive revenue up 8.6 per cent to £44.7 million compared to the previous year’s £44 million, according to the company’s preliminary results for the year to March 31.

Profits for the sameperiod rose by £300,000 to £3.2 million compared to £2.9 million a year earlier.

Chairman William McIlroy said: “Sales in March2020 were adversely impacted by approximately £400,000 due to Covid-19 related delays and cancelled orders.

“Whilst the company has faced a number of challenges since the outbreak of covid-19 and has incurred significant costs associated with managing the risks, it has also found opportunity to deliver product types currently in demand.

“In particular, the company has been able to introduce its new Pure Touch brand of hand sanitisers and hand washes and a newly developed anti-viral alcohol-free hand cream.

“Trading to July 31 is ahead of last year, which has enabled the group to absorb the increased costs and risks associated with the pandemic.”

The firm’s figures also show that sales of retailerown label products sales rose by 29.8 per cent, while its own brandedsalesgrewby18.3per centwithoverseassalesrising by 43.4 per cent to £7.2 million. In addition, a brand the firm acquired for £500,000 generated £1.2 million sales.

Bernard Johnson, managing director, said: “The team across the group has performed exceptionally well to cope with challenges and pressures associated with the covid-19 pandemic.

“They have enabled the group to respond rapidly to

the changes; resurrecting and developing new products at pace, scouring the worldfor componentsandenablingthe Group to meet the changing demand.

“Thestrong financial position of the group has allowed it fund these changes, whilst supporting some customers through a difficult period.

“We are glad to say that the team has continued to grow and develop, and we have lost no customers.”

Creightons is looking to pay shareholders a final dividend0.50pperordinaryshare compared to 0.40p last year.

The Creightons factory in Peterborough.