Dyson hoovering up engineers as sales soar

INVENTOR Sir James Dyson's technology empire has booked record full-year revenues, thanks to new product launches, as it takes on hundreds of engineers to boost its UK development team.

• Sir James Dyson with the Dyson Air Multiplier, recently launched in UK after trials in Australia. Picture: PA

The firm, famous for its bagless vacuum cleaners, said turnover in 2009 rose 23 per cent to 770 million, while operating profit more than doubled to 190m.

Dyson spent 42m on research and development last year, and yesterday reaffirmed its intention to double the size of its UK engineering team to 700 under plans to increase its R&D outlay in 2010.

The privately owned group said sales had increased further in the first three months of the new year thanks to the launch of new hand-held vacuums.

It unveiled the new Dyson Air Multiplier desk fan in the UK, US and Europe earlier this month after a successful launch in Australia.

Dyson exports its products to 49 countries, with the US by far its biggest market.

But it said the UK had seen robust sales despite the recessionary backdrop, with earnings growing thanks to strong demand for products such as the Dyson Ball upright vacuum and the Airblade hand dryer.

Martin McCourt, chief executive of Dyson, said the company had an "unbelievable bank of ideas" for further products and designs – many of which are outside its traditional vacuum cleaner market.

The firm claims to have filed the second-highest number of UK patent applications after Rolls-Royce, having quadrupled its R&D spending since 2005.

McCourt said: "We're ten times bigger than we were in 2000. We're doubling our engineers so we can continue to grow and invent new machines.

"It demonstrates that Britain can compete in high-tech exports if it invests in long-term research and development."

Dyson employs some 2,500 people worldwide.