Record sales for safety specialist Arco
LARGE contract wins have helped safety clothing and equipment supplier Arco report record sales growth and increased profits.
In its latest annual report and financial statement for the year ending June 2014, Hull-based Arco reported that sales for the period increased by 7.6% year on year to £268.2m, with operating profit up to £15.4m. Excluding exceptional items, this resulted in a rise in operating profit of 10%.
Arco said these financial results were achieved as a result of the company’s strong sales growth throughout the year which was driven by a number of large customer contract wins. This was delivered in conjunction with continued commitment to improve internal processes and operational efficiency, to manage costs carefully and develop innovative product ranges and services that meet customer demands and budgets.
Arco has invested in a comprehensive staff training programme and a number of significant IT projects. This has enabled good cost control, and allowed the business to enhance customer experience by making substantial investments in assets including new e-commerce solutions and improved infrastructure at its National Distribution Centre in Hull. Arco also recently opened a new Product Assurance Laboratory, making it the first safety distributor to have its own in-house, independently accredited quality testing laboratory.
Thomas Martin and Neil Jowsey, Arco’s joint managing directors, said: “These excellent results have been achieved through the total commitment and effort of everyone across the Arco business.
“Our core purpose is to keep people safe at work and our people continue to work to our values of respect for people, excellence in reputation, hard work and enterprise, never losing sight of what our customer needs.
“As the UK’s leading safety supplier, we must constantly review our business to ensure that we remain competitive and deliver excellent service to our customers. Our strategy of continued investment in 2014 will enable us to develop successful, long-term improvements that will deliver what our customers need and ensure that Arco continues to maintain its market leading position.”
Arco, founded in 1884, provides safety equipment, personal protection equipment and workwear to major public and private organisations. It was a supplier to the London Olympics and the Commonwealth Games.
