INTERNATIONAL electronics giant Bowthorpe has reported record pre-tax profits of more than £90 million, up by eight per cent.

Turnover for the year to December 31 was up by nine per cent at £587 million.

The Sussex based firm is the parent company of a growing international technology group focused on the design, development, manufacture and marketing of specialist electronic products.

Customers include leading organisations in markets such as aerospace, automotive, computer construction and telecommunications.

The group, which has its headquarters in Crawley and a division in Brighton, provides state-of-the-art electronic solutions in rapidly growing technology areas, such as high speed digital communication and aerospace information management.

Nicholas Brookes, chief executive, said: "All groups within Bowthorpe made operational and strategic progress during 1998 despite difficult market conditions.

"In line with our strategy, we are moving into higher value added and faster growing businesses, as evidenced by the growth in network management. We aim to be a world leader in telecoms testing and our capabilities in this field are growing rapidly."

Looking to the future company chairman Tony Vice said: "This will be a year of change and challenge in which Bowthorpe will continue to build its businesses and focus its activities.

"Our strategy of concentrating on higher growth activities is appropriate particularly in view of the slower growth of world markets."

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