PROFITS at bed and furniture giant Silentnight have soared by more than 30 per cent, according to results out today.

The Salterforth-based firm saw pretax profits increase to £4.9 million in the six months to August with turnover up to £98.8 million.

The UK beds division turned in a particularly strong performance with a 16 per cent increase in sales and its American bed operation saw profits rise by 78 per cent. And the firm is now the largest manufacturer of assembled bedroom and living room furniture in the UK.

"Demand for our beds in the UK remains strong and there are signs of improving demand for our cabinets," said chairman Keith Ackroyd.

"Our foreign businesses are soundly based and in a position to make a growing contribution to profit."

The company also said that it was seeing the benefits of bringing all its Silentnight Beds' manufacturing facilities on to one site in Barnoldswick. Shareholders will receive a dividend up by nine per cent to 3p.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.