Healthcare group United Drug has produced a bumper set of half-year profits with strong growth in margins and higher sales resulting in a 35 per cent increase in pre-tax profits to €10.8 million (£8.5 million).

Sales in the period were up 16 per cent to €492.4 million and operating margins improved by more than a fifth to 2.66 per cent. The interim dividend is being increased by 15 per cent to 6.15 cents.