For the six months ended 30th September 2014, Vp saw revenues grow 11% to 拢101.3m (2013: 拢91.3m) and profit before tax and amortisation increase 27% to 拢16.2m (2013: 拢12.8m).
Profit margins improved to 16.0% (2013: 14.0%).
The company also increased capital investment in its rental fleet by 30%, spending 拢23.9m.
Numbers were boosted by the 拢5.5m acquisition in July 2014 of the trackside plant and equipment rental business of Balfour Beatty Rail.聽 Integration of this new business helped Vp鈥檚 Torrent Trackside division increase its revenues to 拢13.0m during the first half (2013: 拢10.6m) although profits slipped back a little to 拢1.3m (2013: 拢1.5m).
Vp鈥檚 tool shop chain Hire Station generated 拢4.8m profits, up 78% from the 拢2.7m made in the same period last year. Its revenues were up 13% at 拢36.1m (2013: 拢31.9m).聽 聽聽
罢丑别听 Groundforce division reported operating profits up 7% at 拢5.0m (2013: 拢4.6m) on revenues up 8% at 拢22.6m (2013: 拢20.8m), benefitting from infrastructure and major civil engineering projects such as Crossrail.
The buoyant house-building market helped generate a 54% increase in profits in the telehandler hire business UK Forks to 拢2.3m (2013: 拢1.5m), on revenues up 9% at 拢9.1m (2013: 拢8.4m).
Airpac Bukom's profits more than doubled in the period to 拢1.7m (2013: 拢0.7m.聽 Revenues grew by 16% to 拢11.2m (2013: 拢9.6m).
Chairman Jeremy Pilkington said: "The board regards these half year figures as an outstanding set of results and this positive start to the new financial year reflects the continuation of the improving trading conditions which the group enjoyed towards the end of last year.聽 The trading trajectory into the second half of the current financial year provides us with every confidence that the group can deliver a very satisfactory result for the year as a whole."
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