Grafton builds turnover 2.5%

TURNOVER at builders’ merchants group Grafton last year grew by 2.5% to around €2.05 billion, the company has said.

In a pre-close trading update, the group — which also owns the Woodies and Atlantic Homecare brands — also said it is expecting its 2011 operating profits to come in at the upper end of its previously guided scale of €52 million to €55m.

Management said trading conditions remained difficult during 2011, but noted there was “a firmer tone to turnover in the final two months of the year, which benefited from more favourable weather conditions compared to the same period in 2010”.