Cigarette group Gallaher says price increases, exchange rate movements and lower costs more than compensated for lower sales volumes in its Republic of Ireland operations.
The group, which makes Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut cigarettes, said in May that it planned to shut its factory in Dublin with the loss of 121 jobs.
Today it said it was axing more jobs as part of a shake-up of its European operations, with 175 posts to go over two years at Lisnafillan in Northern Ireland.
Gallaher said pre-tax profits last year increased fractionally to £379m, although operating profits before goodwill and one-off charges rose by 7.6% to £627m.
Gallaher has moved to rationalise its operations and seek savings since its acquisition of tobacco businesses in Austria and Russia in the last three to four years.
