Demand grows for Sanderson's 'green machine'

The group, which has its manufacturing headquarters in Sheffield and its retail office in Bradford, has launched two new 'Green IT' software products.

The first allows clients to combine a number of servers which saves on carbon emissions and energy costs.

The second puts devices such as cashiers' tills into sleep mode if they haven't been used for five minutes.

Currently devices go into standby mode after five minutes, but this still uses 80 per cent of the energy that the device would use if it was fully up and running.

In contrast, Sanderson's sleep mode uses just 20 per cent of the energy.

"It pays back within 12 months," said Sanderson's chairman Christopher Winn, adding that the new 'Green IT' products are proving popular with both small and large retail groups.

Reporting on annual results for the year to September 30, Sanderson said it has increased order intake.

Despite the UK economy's slow recovery from recession and competitive market conditions, the group has gained new customers in both manufacturing and retail.

Revenues for the year to September 30 rose eight per cent to 27m. Underlying operating profits increased by 12 per cent to 3.1m and underlying pre-tax profits rose by 79 per cent to 1.91m.

Total order intake for the year was strong at 15.55m compared with 12.73m in the previous financial year.

The group signed up 24 new customers over the year including Hamley's, David Austin Roses, TJ Hughes, Aquascutum and Links of London. Large projects were awarded by a number of existing customers, including Wilkinson, The Original Factory Shop, Fenwick and Lakeland.

Sanderson said that while it remains cautious in its outlook and sensitive to conditions in the general economy, the new financial year has started well.

"Business confidence levels are better," said Mr Winn. "By no means have they fully recovered and it will be 18 months to two years before the economy becomes a bit more sustainable, but there is improvement."