AN award-winning company has reported a strong performance – despite rising operating costs.

Latest figures show that Steeton-based Acorn Stairlifts had a turnover of £255.8 million in the year ended September 30, 2023 – up by £10.4 million compared to the previous 12 months.

But profits after tax were slightly down – at just over £48 million, compared to £50.1 million the previous year.

The firm says the fall was a reflection of its need to absorb increased costs, such as for energy to run its UK factories and raw materials.

Acorn Stairlifts products are now sold in around 110 countries worldwide.

And more than two-thirds of the company's total revenue is generated by overseas markets.

As well as serving the UK, the business operates throughout western Europe and in the USA, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, plus it has recently opened a Singapore office.

Last month, Acorn received the Insider Made in the UK Export Award 2024.

The company beat off competition from businesses across the UK to take the prestigious accolade, which was presented during a dinner at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool.

Judges praised Acorn’s overseas logistics networks and the way it creates job opportunities in the territories where it operates.

The latest results show that the total number of people employed by the firm had risen by 64, to 1,365.

Acorn has a global careers website, at careers.acornstairlifts.com, featuring vacancies at its operations in the UK and abroad.

Group finance director, Joanne Richardson, says: "Like everyone else, we’ve seen our costs rise significantly in recent years. But because we’re a financially strong business, with no debt, we’ve been able to absorb a large part of that cost without passing it on to our customers.

"We’ve also made improvements to our global distribution networks, which mean we can better control the cost of shipping our UK-made stairlifts to Acorn customers around the world."

Looking ahead, the business is targeting sales growth in regions where it is already active – such as North America, where it's the market leader for home stairlifts – and entering and developing new overseas markets which have seen demand identified.

Speaking about the award, Acorn's UK and Europe operations director, Nick Wilson, said the company was "proud" to receive the honour.