Ian Macleod results

[Rob Allanson]

Ian Macleod Distillers, one of the largest independent family companies in the UK spirits industry, is outperforming the majority of its peers according to the company's latest financial results.
The company has posted that in its results to September 2008, profit before tax increased to £1,518,516 from £992,475 in 2007.
Over the period the company continued to invest in marketing its key brands, being Glengoyne, Smokehead and King Robert. It also invested further in its Broxburn bottling plant and the Glengoyne Distillery.
Managing director of Ian Macleod Distillers, Leonard Russell, commented: "As an independent company we can focus on the longer term, rather than short-term returns for shareholders.
"We are investing, not only in the marketing and production of our key brands, but also developing markets that have the best growth potential for our products, such as India and China. King Robert is the number one whisky in Duty Free in India.
"Trading overall is buoyant, although the UK remains a difficult market. Ian Macleod Distillers is outperforming the majority of the sector."
Gross profit also increased from 36.7% to 39.5%, and the group and company turnover increased by 4.0% and 12.9% respectively.