SSL's Ian Adamson adds to stake

Ian Adamson, managing director for the Europe and Americas division of SSL International, has added to his stake in the Durex condom and Scholl footcare product group with the purchase of nearly £35,000 of shares.

He paid 508.5p a time for 6,821 shares and now has 74,666.

Shares in SSL are flat over the past year, demonstrating the firm's resilience in the face of sharp deteriorations elsewhere in the economy.

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Last month, the firm announced it was is looking to raise around £80m to £85m from a placing to fund acquisitions. The firm is looking to increase its exposure to condom distribution in emerging markets such as the former Soviet Union and China.

SSL reported pre-tax profits of £32.5m in the six months to September 30, up from £22.3m the previous year. Revenues climbed to £322.5m from £262.7m, with Durex sales climbing 10% to £126.4m, Scholl footcare revenues climbing 15.1% to £84.4m and Scholl footwear sales up 9.5% to £42.8m. Locally-owned brands accounted for most of the remaining turnover.

Adamson, who has previously worked with the US healthcare products giant Johnson and Johnson, was appointed as an executive director at SSL in April 2004.

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