Soap firm profits from rebranding

Soap maker PZ Cussons today said a rebranding of its shampoo-to-shaving gel label Original Source had helped boost its UK performance in a competitive market.

The company behind Imperial Leather saw its pre-tax profits rise by 18% to £28.9m (€42.1m) for the six months to the end of November 2005.

Stockport-based Cussons is concentrating its efforts on growth markets such as Nigeria, Indonesia, Australia as well as the UK and saw turnover rise 11% to £258.3m (€376m).

Cussons said the relocation of its Nottingham soap factory to Thailand, which is costing 160 UK jobs, would be complete by May this year, rather than in 2007 as previously planned.