Firstpoint Ltd, the computer maintenance and support services subsidiary of Stratagem Group Plc that Stratagem thought of selling to Maddox Group Plc (CI No 2,304) but then thought against, has bounced back from a poor first half, pre-tax profits down 28.8% at UKP356,000, to post full year pre-tax profits up 7.0% to UKP1.3m, on turnover up at around UKP14m. As a whole, the group, in its first year as a diversified industrial holding company, had pre-tax profit up 76.8% to UKP2.1m, on turnover up 663.7% at UKP80.4m. The rest of the group is made up of manufacturing – Henderson-Bostwick Industrial Doors and Castings; and distribution – ASC, distributing access control equipment, switches, controls, architectural ironmongery and domestic garage doors and Veritas with four car dealerships. During the year Stratagem expanded its services offering with Stratagem Integrated Services promising a full range of services of facilities management for distributed computer systems and aiming at government departments and large corporates. The company is proposing a 5.3% rise in the dividend at 5.0 pence.
