Tough trading times for Thomas Potts have failed to put it off the acquisition trail, despite the group revealing a drop in pre-tax profits.


It said it was keen to acquire two firms a year after pre-tax profits of 1.2m for the year to April. Last years total was 2.27m.
The second half of the year was tough, but the outlook is pretty robust and we are confident, said commercial director Mark Scanlon.


The deal to take over a digital imaging business owned by Carlton boss Michael Green (PrintWeek, 22 June) has cooled off a tad, but I cant say its dead, said Scanlon.
Thomas Potts preliminary results showed turnover rising from 13.4m to 21.7m. This was helped by work from the retail sector, which had held up better than financial services.


However, the third quarter was extremely flat and a lot of promotions from big clients were downgraded.


The January purchase of 18m-turnover CCS from its administrative receiver only added two months to Potts turnover when a year of sales would have taken it to 39m.
The groups Press4Print graphic print management system is handling a new contract for business stationery for one of the worlds biggest oil firms. Scanlon declined to give further details of the job.


Story by Jez Abbott