ANNUAL turnover at a Steeton stairlift firm has smashed through the £200 million mark for the first time.

Figures just published for the year ended September 30, 2017, show Acorn Stairlifts generated £211.8m – up nearly a fifth on the previous 12 months.

And post-tax profits reached a record £17.1m-plus, compared to £16.6m in 2016.

The data also reveals that whilst Acorn manufactures all its 70,000-plus stairlifts a year at factories in West Yorkshire and Scotland, the majority of its products are now sold overseas.

Non-UK sales accounted for 70.9 per cent of the company’s revenue last year, up from 67.7 per cent.

Exports go to more than 80 countries. and Acorn – which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year – now has wholly-owned subsidiaries in Germany, Italy, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and its largest overseas market, North America.

Its performance during the period covered by the latest figures was boosted by a strong US dollar.

The company’s workforce now totals nearly 1,500 worldwide, with over 500 people working at the head office and factory on Steeton’s Millennium Business Park.

Acorn finance director, Joanne Richardson, described the latest results as “very encouraging”.

She added: “Especially pleasing is breaking through the £200m barrier in terms of turnover during our anniversary year.

“These results reflect Acorn’s ongoing commitment to building growth through investment both here in the UK and in overseas markets for our British-made stairlifts.

“Our performance in North America, where we have worked hard to become the clear market leader for home stairlifts, has been particularly strong during the reporting period – undoubtedly helped by the strength of the dollar.

“Our mission as a growing global business is simply to be ‘the best stairlift provider in the world’ and these figures demonstrate significant progress towards that goal.”