LONDON--Smiths Group PLC on Friday said its pretax profit more than doubled in the first half thanks to some robust sales and profit from a disposal.
Strong sales at its Smiths detection unit, which makes detection and screening technology, offset a decline in sales in its medical and John Crane businesses, which makes products for the energy industry.
The manufacturer of control systems and instruments for industrial applications made a pretax profit of 346 million pounds ($432.4 million) in the six months ended Jan. 31, more than the GBP168 million made in the corresponding period a year earlier. Revenue also rose to GBP1.62 billion from GBP1.37 billion.
