FARROW & Ball, Dorset’s globally-known manufacturer of premium paint and wallpaper, has reported a record year.

It achieved revenue of £83.3million for the 12 months to the end of March 2017, up from £72.8m the year before.

The business, which was started in Dorset in 1946, saw growth in all four key markets – the UK, North America, France and Germany – as well as newer territories such as Holland and Scandinvaia.

Chief executive Don Henshall said: “It has been a very successful year, with the Farrow & Ball Group delivering double-digit growth.

“We increased sales in the UK by nearly 10 per cent, strengthening our position as market leader in the premium paint category.

“We saw a recovery in the French market and we continued to grow our international footprint, inspiring more people around the world to transform their homes with our unique paint and hand-crafted wallpaper.

“This is testament to the skill and hard work of our Farrow & Ball team, the strength of our brand and the extraordinary quality and performance of our paint and paper.

“It also reflects our commitment to the highest levels of service, outstanding colour expertise and our determination to continuously innovate and exceed the expectations of customers.”

International sales grew 24 per cent, accounting for more than a third of total sales.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization were up 17 per cent to £23.5m.

The company, based at Uddens Industrial Estate near Wimborne, employs around 300 people in the UK. It created more than 60 jobs during the year, taking its global workforce to more than 620.

It added 125 points of sale, including eight new showrooms.

Mr Henshall said: “We introduced some exciting new initiatives during the year, including new distribution with B&Q, to make it even easier to find and buy our unique paint, and the introduction of nine new colours to our carefully curated palette.”

The company said it also benefited from its digital strategy, with online sales up 14.5 per cent to £5.6m. It has a social media following of more than 1.2m and sells in more than 50 countries.