Dyson's engineering focus helps profits to double

Sir James Dyson's engineering group has posted record annual results with profits doubling to £190 million, new accounts reveal.

The company, which is best known for its bagless vacuum cleaner and more recently developed the Airblade hand dryer, also enjoyed a 23 per cent surge in turnover to some 770 million.

It put the strong financial outcome down to overseas expansion and a major investment in the research and development of new products.

The group, which employs about 2,600 people worldwide, announced earlier this year that it would recruit an extra 350 engineers to its Wiltshire laboratories as part of its growth plans. The latest results and trading statement showed it had recruited 155 so far.

Chief executive Martin McCourt said: "Dyson has come a long way. More people, more markets, more breakthrough technology."