The company said the results exceeded the upturn in the second half, with revenue rising 22.5% to R297m, and earnings up 32% to R37m. But it was its Quality Beverages operation that really rocketed, with earnings shooting up 442% after a 40% leap in revenue.
Group executives were not available for comment.
The group's plastics operations saw lean times in the months after the Soccer World Cup but kicked up a gear in October, yielding 7% more revenue.
Bowler Metcalf said cost controls helped earnings rise 8% in the division, despite facing "panic" pricing from rivals that had idle equipment at midyear.
It said its expansion into KwaZulu-Natal had begun to show profits.
The boom in its Quality Beverages business came from a combination of favourable weather conditions and the growth and acceptance of its niche market Jive drinks brand. However, the company said the large percentage rise in earnings was off a low base.
It also said it had signed a lease for a facility in Boksburg and was installing a new R32m high-speed bottling plant, scheduled for commissioning in July.
Bowler Metcalf declared an interim dividend of 15.6c per share, from 13c in the same period last year.
The board said it had appointed managing director Michael Brain as executive vice-chairman and acting chief financial officer and Friedel Sass as group CEO from tomorrow.
Source: Business Day
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