PUB equipment company Brulines is eyeing new acquisitions after declaring that the credit crunch is helping the business grow.

The Stockton-based firm, which yesterday revealed profits for the half-year to September 26 had risen 7.5 per cent to £2.21m, said it is well placed to continue to grow amid the tight trading conditions.

Brulines also said it is looking to expand the market share of its recent acquisition Edensure, so that within the next five years it will be one of the major players in the petrol forecourt equipment sector, thought to be worth £10m in the UK.

James Dickson, chief executive of Brulines, said: “Given the tough times we are experiencing in the economy at the minute, there is probably an even greater demand for our products, as companies look to make themselves more efficient.

In difficult times they need better, faster information and products,” he said.

Mr Dickson said that Edensure, based in Sunderland, held great potential, and expanding the business – which currently holds a two per cent stake in its sector – would be a priority.

“Edensure is a tidy business which provided us with a good opportunity, and we will certainly be looking at other good opportunities that come our way,” he said.

“There are certainly lots of distressed companies at the present, which are fundamentally good businesses, so that is something we will look at.”