County Durham's Cook Defence Systems sees rising revenues and profits

A North East defence specialist has seen a 30% increase in turnover, triggered by global geopolitical instability increasing demand for armoured vehicles.

Cook Defence Systems, in Stanhope, County Durham, is a world-leading designer and manufacturer of track systems for armoured vehicles and a strategic supplier to the Ministry of Defence, as the only British manufacturer of tracks for the Army’s tanks and armoured vehicles.

The wider sixth-generation family firm William Cook Group, which has its headquarters in Sheffield, produces components for the rail, defence and energy sectors and its site in Stanhope, County Durham, is the main site for its defence operations, as the home for its businesses Cook Defence Systems, William Cook Stanhope and William Cook Intermodal.

For the year to July 1 2023. Cook Defence Systems saw turnover jump 30% from £23.6m to £30.8m, while operating profit and pre-tax profit almost doubled from £1.17m to £2.25m. Total comprehensive income for the period was £1.84m, more than the double the £830,938 posted a year earlier.

Company secretary Michael Hodgson highlighted how the company had seen demand for its products jump on the back of the Ukraine conflict.

In the accounts report he said: “D