The owners of Lindal-based home fragrance manufacturer Wax Lyrical has reported a tenth consecutive year of growth.

Portmeirion – the Stoke-on-Trent based homeware distributor and manufacturer – said strong progress in the key markets of the UK, United States and South Korea were helping to fuel the continued growth.

Revenues increased by 5.7 per cent to £89.6 million and pre-tax profits rose by 10.1 per cent to £9.7m for the year ending December 31, the company said in a statement on the London Stock Exchange.

Wax Lyrical made a significant contribution to the overall success, it added, the sales growth of 11.1 per cent.

It develops, manufactures and delivers luxury scented candles and reed diffusers from its Lindal factory and exports its products to more than 40 countries around the world.

Portmeirion, whose other brands include Royal Worcester and Spode Kingsley, paid £18m to acquire Wax Lyrical's parent company Lighthouse Holdings in 2016.

It revealed an ambition to see more jobs created at the site as a result of its continued push for increased sales both at home and overseas.

On the latest financial results, its non-executive chairman commented Dick Steele, said: “We are delighted to be reporting a tenth consecutive year of record revenue and another record profit before taxation. Our strategy and core values remain unchanged. 

“We are focused on driving profitable sales growth through new product introduction, developing our markets, investing behind our brands and enhancing our operational capabilities and efficiency supported with complementary strategic acquisitions.

“We look forward into 2019 with confidence and at this very early stage of the year expect trading to be in line with expectations for the full year.”

The total dividend paid and proposed for 2018 increased by 8.2 per cent to 37.50p per share.