Acorn Stairlifts expects to see no significant impact from Brexit as sales soar

Acorn, based at Steeton near Keighley, made £224.4 million in the 12 month period to September 30 of last year, an increase of six percent on the £211.7 million it made the previous year.

Over the same period, operating profit (excluding exceptional costs) grew from just under £22m to a new high of £22.2m.

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A total of 71 per cent of its global income comes from export sales, with 85 per cent of its revenues coming from the UK or non-EU countries.

The company – founded as a one-man operation in Bradford in 1992 – now employs 1,536 people worldwide, up by 51 on the previous year, with more than 500 working at or from its head offices and factory in Yorkshire.

Acorn’s Group Finance Director Joanne Richardson said: “This is another encouraging set of annual figures which reflect Acorn’s commitment to building sustainable growth in both our domestic and export markets.

“Acorn continues to experience record-breaking worldwide sales, supported by our rising company headcount.”

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The company exports to around 80 countries worldwide and has wholly-owned subsidiaries operating in Germany, Italy, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and its largest overseas territory, North America, where it is the market leader for home stair lifts.

Despite having a well-developed sales network in western Europe, the report notes that while the terms of ‘Brexit’ remain uncertain, it is “not expected to have a significant impact on the business”.