SPECIALIST technology manufacturer Zytronic is aiming to move 100% into hi-tech touchscreen manufacture after publishing expectation-beating results.

The firm, which has three factories in Blaydon and employs 199 people, said revenues from touchscreen products – used in equipment such as cashpoints, ticket and vending machines – accounts for 70% of its sales.

Turnover was up by 11% to £20.5m in the year to the end of September and pre-tax profits rose by 22% to £3.6m, while touch product sales increased by 38% to £14.2m.

Chief executive, Mark Cambridge, said: “I don’t think we can be anything but pleased.

“We started out with a £3.2m profit before tax broker forecast and we issued a statement in mid-October saying we thought it would be higher and we’ve come through with £3.6m.

“The strategy of the business since we became Zytronic in 2000 was to fuel this touch technology to the marketplace. We are very pleased with these results; with the global economy and the gloom, we are still a ray of sunshine.”

The business is continuing to diversify away from its traditional lower growth laminate products and concentrate entirely on the more hi-tech touch applications.

“We are aiming to get 100% of the business to be touch technology,” said Cambridge, although he was unable to put a timescale on how long this would take.

“We have several different products that are not touch technology. We are working with those areas to offer an alternative product.

“It’s going to be natural progression, until we’re just producing touch.”

He said the company’s growth was mainly due to existing orders moving into greater production, from vending machines to the touch screens.

Zytronic exported 94% of its touch technology during the year and has global sales channel agreements in 39 countries. It is currently aiming to break into markets in including Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.