THE manufacturer of soldering products, Oglesby & Butler, has reported a good performance for the year to the end of March with pre-tax profits up almost 50 per cent, to £553,095. Margins improved substantially as sales only rose 10 per cent to £4.3 million.

No dividend is being paid in for last year but payments may soon resume. The chairman, Mr Nevin Dowling, said the group aims to repay its remaining bank debt of £200,000 by the end of the year and be in a position to begin paying.