GARDENING products maker Westland Horticulture, which owns brands including Gro-Sure compost, Peckish bird food and Aftercut lawn fertiliser and is a key part of the business landscape in Co Tyrone, continues to grow the business both organically and through acquisition.
In the trading year to the end of last August the company, established in 1990 in Dungannon, enjoyed a one per cent uplift in sales from £130.5 million to £132.4 million while profits blossomed to0, up to more than £4.7m from £4.1m a year earlier.
And the upwards trajectory at the firm, which is among the leading and fastest growing in the UK horticultural sector, is set to continue, because since the results were signed off, Westland has gone on to acquire the Gardman Group in England.
Westland paid £4 million to acquire all trading assets, stock and Gardman brands, which include Cole and Bright, Grow It, Moulton Mill and Gardman Wild bird care.
At the time of the take-over Westland's finance director Scott Dougherty said: "Gardman's business is a natural fit and the acquisition is in line with our strategic direction.
"With the business having a similar customer base in the independent garden centre trade it is a logical move which will strengthen Westland Horticulture's position in the UK, Ireland and European markets."
He added: "The home garden sector is in a mature market, but it is also a resilient market with a loyal base of customers who love their gardens."
According to its latest set of accounts filed at Companies House, Westland is now sitting on asset reserves of £42 million - nearly twice the 2017 figure of £23.3m.
Average employment in the group increased marginally in 2018 from 588 to 606 people, which was reflected in its wages bill rising from £19.7m to £20.5m.
Westland's headquarters is in Dungannon, which is the location for the production of all growing media produced by the company including the patented West+ peat alternative.
But it also operates from two sites in England - Alconbury in Cambridgeshire, which produces 10 million products each year and is also home of Unwins & Marshalls online seed business; and Driffield in East Yorkshire, which produces all the company's bird feed products.
Westland also has a growing European footprint, including operations in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland and France.
The company has paid dividends to its shareholders in each of the last three years, with the 2018 figure of £1,483,510 exactly matching that of the previous year.
The accounts also detail a £2.86m spend on an exceptional item - made up for a provision for doubtful debt of £1.69m and £1.17m on the purchase of a new business software system.
