ENGINEERING group GKN showed "resilience" in the face of harsh conditions in the automotive and civil aerospace markets in the first half of this year.
The company, a major supplier to Sunderland's Nissan plant, posted profits ahead of expectation yesterday.
The Redditch group said pre-tax profits before one-offs and goodwill fell four per cent to £131m in the six months to June 28, a smaller drop than the eight per cent that analysts had expected.
A strong performance in military aviation, which accounts for 80 per cent of the group's aerospace business, helped to lift the figures.
Kevin Smith, chief executive, said: "Looking further ahead, GKN's prospects remain bright and the group's strategic development continues apace."
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