Manufacturing arm of Fife firm CR Smith bounces back to profit after Covid hit

CR Smith (Manufacturing), which makes the windows, doors and conservatories for the group’s domestic business, housing developers and trade operators from its state-of-the-art facility in Fife, recorded a turnover of £7.7 million in 2021, generating a pre-tax profit of £282,828.

The separate manufacturing accounts follow recent figures for CR Smith Glaziers (Dunfermline) Limited, the firm’s domestic sales business, which revealed turnover of just over £23.5 million for the year ending December 31, 2020.

Those accounts reflected a 16-month trading period to account for a four-month total shut down due to the pandemic. In the previous full-year period the business generated sales of £23.9m. Profit after tax in the latest period amounted to £88,258, compared with £103,845 previously.

Commenting on the manufacturing accounts, director George Eadie said: “Having had to close the factory in 2020 due to the pandemic, and then again in early 2021, the return to profitability in the financial year ending August 2021 shows the underlying resilience of the company and our ability to react quickly to the opportunities that do exist.

“Once the first lockdown was implemented, we worked closely with our suppliers and customers to make sure we anticipated and dealt with any foreseen challenges. That meant we were prepared to restart operations efficiently and effectively once restrictions were lifted.

“Market demand remains higher than immediately before the first lockdown and with a significant order book we are confident that we will build on the current position.

“Staff numbers dropped slightly due to the two periods of closure. But with a new recruitment campaign in place across the whole range of skills required within the manufacturing business, we will rapidly return to pre-Covid levels and above.”

Gerard Eadie, executive chairman of Dunfermline-headquartered CR Smith, a company he has owned for more than 46 years, said last month: “We continually look at how we can innovate. Even during the pandemic, that approach hasn’t changed. Over the past 18 months, we’ve all had to adapt to new and unprecedented challenges both personally and at work.”

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