Rossendale, Lancashire-based P&P Plc’s decision to move out of the high volume, low margin market for hardware, software and services, and into the value-added business, continues to pay handsomely with another leap in pre-tax profits, up 129% to ú6.2m for the half year. Turnover continued to grow, up 44% at ú171m, and the company said all three areas of its core business had contributed significantly. The focus for future growth would be evenly distributed across the board. The three business areas are products, including personal to mid-range computers, software packages, networking products; specialist services, including consultancy, training and help-desk support, and specialist distribution, with its Apple Computer Inc reseller, Principal, and Nordic Datadistribution, a Swedish distributer of Unix workstations. P&P has three big corporate contracts about to be signed, but said it cannot yet disclose names. These three will join the 20 or so companies that currently spend more than ú1m with P&P, said group finance director John Atkin. Existing clients include British Telecommunications Plc, Bank of Scotland Plc, Nestle SA and ICI Plc. The board recommends an interim dividend of 1.15 pence, up 21% on 1994.
