Mark Smith, Chief Executive Officer, said Billington’s structural steel business had started 2015 with a strong order book as market capacity and demand came into line.

He said a return to a more traditional mix of structural steelwork projects last year enabled Billington to deliver 19,000 tonnes throughout the UK and Scandinavia.

This helped the group double pre-tax profits to £1.9m on sales up 15% to £45m allowing it to resume paying dividends for the first time since 2010.

Smith said Billington aimed to return to an operating margin of 5% on contracts as the market progressed toward pre-recessionary levels.

Its Peter Marshall Steel Stairs business also returned a profit for the first time since being bought four years ago.

Orders and profits at the group’s Hoard-it, Tubecon and Easi-edge businesses are also on the rise.

Mark Smith, Chief Executive Officer, said: “For the first time in a number of years, each of Billington’s divisions has contributed positively to the overall trading performance, allowing the Group to look forward with great optimism to 2015.

“While the economy has not yet returned to pre-recession levels, the buoyancy and gathering momentum within the industry is very encouraging and allows us to look with optimism at our future prospects.

“Certain capital expenditure projects that have been on hold for a number of years are now being re-evaluated.

“Capital expenditure at our Barnsley and Leeds facilities will be incurred over the medium term to ensure capacity is maximised and the capabilities meet the needs of our customers moving forward.”

Capital expenditure rose to £1.3m in 2014 from £400,000 in the previous year, and was channelled into machinery at Billington Structures and hire stock for both easi-edge and hoard-it.

Year-end net cash rose to £3.9m from £2.6m a year before.