Pre-tax profits taking into account exceptional costs of 930,000 this time last year more than doubled to 1.75m.
Bookmarque, Fulmars paperback printing plant, increased sales by 39%, while White Quill Press turnover rose 10%. This "dramatic" growth would continue next year, said Taylor, accelerated by the completion of an extension to White Quills factory in December, increasing floor space by 30%.
"Were now a respected book printer in our own right and it counterbalances the vagaries of commercial print, which when it is bad is horrid," said Taylor.
Sales at Fulmar Colour, Royle Corporate Print and Quadracolor, which make up the groups commercial printing division, dropped 4% to 13.85m due to "price pressures" and a "weak market".
"These businesses remain the major part of our group. But commercial print is a very different market from books and were finding it extremely difficult to maintain prices and volumes.
"It would take an optimistic person to say that therell definitely be an upturn next year, but forecasts of GDP do suggest some improvement thats if you believe the forecasts," added Taylor.
Fulmars gearing also fell from 70% to 58%, and with no big investments on the horizon, except White Quills ongoing extension, Taylor was confident it would continue to fall.
Story by Rachel Barnes
