Avon Rubber said this week that it had won a £14.7m contract to supply gas masks to a customer in the Middle East, the largest non-department of defence order it has ever received.
The company, which also makes liners for milking machines, said that it expected to receive the majority of the revenues from the programme in 2013 and 2014.
Announcing results for the six months to March 31 – during which revenues rose 3 per cent year-on-year to £49.6m and pre-tax profits climbed 6 per cent to £4.6m – Peter Slabbert, chief executive, said that Avon Rubber’s protection and defence business would continue to benefit from a long-term contract with the US Department of Defence. However, he said that the precise timing of orders would be uncertain in the short run.
The company’s dairy business remained well positioned, Mr Slabbert said, adding that overall he expected “stronger revenues in the second half”.
Avon Rubber declared an interim dividend of 1.2p per share, up 20 per cent on the preceding year, and payable from diluted earnings per share of 10.8p.