RON Wood Greetings Cards Ltd, the Bury company that started life on a market stall, has grown to become the top performing company in its sector in the whole of Britain in the space of just 25 years.

It has celebrated its latest trading figures with yet another acquisition - and a really "big name" on the board.

Ron Wood, whose head office is in Manchester Road, Bury has bought Lancedown, of which Middlesborough manager and former United and England star Bryan Robson was a major shareholder.

Robbo now becomes a main board director.

The Ron Wood business is right up Bryan's street because as well as its vast range of greetings cards, it also trades in football leisurewear and memorabilia.

Financial results for the year ended June 30 show total turnover increased by 28 per cent to £78 million and pre-tax profit up by 75 per cent to £13.5 million.

It achieved those figures by increasing its outlets by 21 per cent to 356 stores nationwide. It owns 301 outlets and the other 55 are licensed franchises.

The total workforce increased during the same period by 85 per cent to 2,300.

The company now sells more than 100 million greetings cards a year, mainly through its own chain of Birthdays stores retailing cards, ancillary products, gifts and soccer leisurewear.

The Bury head office is a stone's throw from its successful warehouse division, which shares a site with a trade cash and carry superstore, complete with restaurant and huge parking area.

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