COOKSTOWN manufacturing firm BA Kitchen Components has enjoyed a period of growth in the year to last March as it not only increased sales and profits, but also grew its staff numbers.
Latest accounts reveal that the company - established in 1990 by twin brothers Brian and Kieran McCracken but now controlled by Cooperatief H2 equity partners in the Netherlands - had sales of £29.9 million.
That was up from the previous year's total of £28.1 million and came despite the company saying it had to "reluctantly pass on significant increases" to its customers after "challenges" posed by Brexit around its supply change, raw materials costs and labour availability
BA's bottom line profit grew from £2.3m to £3m, and the company is sitting on equity of more than £12.5 million, according to accounts filed at Companies House.
Now one of Europe’s premier kitchen and bedroom manufacturing companies, it also added more than 40 new staff over the year, with its payroll growing from 235 to 277, which in turn pushed up its wages bill from £7.2m to £8.6m.
Interestingly, the directors' remuneration package fell from £378,522 to £326,011, with the highest paid director - believed to be new chief executive Peter Rush, former boss of Formica Europe - taking a wages cut of more than £65,000 (down from £245,753 to £178,180).
BA, which was set up when Brian McCracken sold his Suzuki motorbike for £3,000 to raise collateral and was initially sustained with a £40 a week grant from Ledu, currently operates from sites in Cookstown, Doncaster and Rotherham.
The company has grown steadily to become a major manufacturer of kitchen and bedroom doors and accessories in the UK and Irish furniture components industry.
In notes accompanying the results, the company said 2021 saw "substantial progress" being made in new product development, investment in machinery and people, and the move into complete kitchens, adding that despite the uncertain economic environment, early results for the incoming year "are very satisfactory".
