Pittards trading beats expectations

Shares in Pittards were in demand after the maker of leather for goods such as Nike American football gloves and Timex watch straps said trading was better than expected in calendar year 2010.The second half will be an improvement on the first, when it reported a pre-tax profit of £900,000. "Our order book remains strong as we enter 2011 and we continue to make progress with our strategic developments," the company said. The company is still reviewing some items, such as the property revaluation of its Ethiopian factory, ahead of its full year results due in March.Pittards manages Ethiopia's biggest state-owned leather factory and has other facilities in Yeovil and Taiwan.