Tomkins enjoys surprise sales pick-up

ENGINEERING group Tomkins has seen a surprise pick-up in sales to the car industry in the past six months after an unexpectedly buoyant period for cars. In a relatively upbeat trading statement on the second half of its financial year, it also reported healthy revenues from sales of air conditioning parts in the United States residential housing market.

However, conditions in the commercial sector in the US, in air systems and industrial equipment, remained depressed. The group is booking a £27m one-off charge for the previously announced closure of a plant in Dunstable.

Meanwhile, Tomkins announced it was to change its financial year-end from 31 December to 31 March, bringing it into line with competitors.