Aga Rangemaster cooks up a storm in Britain but goes off the boil in Europe
Aga Rangemaster warned yesterday that continued weaker trading in Europe, particularly in its French and Irish businesses, would hold back its growth for the financial year as a whole.
However, the upmarket kitchen cooking range maker said its UK operations were trading well. It has been buoyed by increased activity in the UK housing market, which has been feeding through slowly into increases in spending on cookers.
“For Rangemaster, UK sales growth has been central to a good performance. Our Marvel refrigeration operation is seeing strong growth,” the company said. “Fired Earth [tiling shops] has seen high teen order growth this year, and profits are well up.”
However outside the UK trading was mixed, as consumers remained cautious. “In particular, performance from Grange, the French-based furniture operation, and Waterford Stanley, the Irish stoves led business, continues to be weak,” it added.