Portmeirion pre-tax profits up by 88%

Pre-tax profits at the Staffordshire pottery firm Portmeirion have increased by 88% after it acquired rival brands Royal Worcester and Spode.

The rise to £1m pre-tax profit relates to the first six months of this year compared to the same period in 2009.

In April 2009 a £3.2m deal was announced involving the Stoke-on-Trent-based firm and Royal Worcester and Spode, which went into administration.

Portmeirion non-executive chairman Dick Steele said he was "very pleased".

He added: "We've employed 39 more people since this time last year, most of them in Stoke and most of them in production.. and we are still recruiting."