THE Loch Lomond Distillery Company has reported a near-£500,000 rise in turnover from £17.83 million to £18.3m.

Pre-tax profits dipped slightly from £361,545 to £295,973 in the year to March 31, 2011, at the drinks and bottling company owned by Sandy Bulloch.

Gross margin fell from 3.09% to 2.96%, with 99% of sales in the UK and the rest in the European Union.

The directors – Mr Bulloch, his wife Carol Anne, John Peterson and Henry Jagielko – said they were pleased with the results.

"2011 proved to be a profitable year and the directors are happy with the performance of the company and group," they said. "With continuous investment in plant and machinery at the site the company is looking to further improve the margin in future years."

Three extra distillery staff at Alexandria, near Dumbarton, were added during the year, bringing total employee numbers to 67, while the cost of wages and benefits increased by almost £50,000 to £1.73m.

As with 2010, no dividend was paid to shareholders but directors' emoluments fell from £100,487 to £95,662.

The Bulloch family bought the Loch Lomond distillery in 1985 then added a set of grain stills in 1993 to allow both grain and malt whiskies to be produced at the site.

The distillery produces enough whisky to fill 43 million bottles each year, with its brands including Loch Lomond single malt and Scots Earl blended Scotch.

The Glen Catrine Bonded Warehouse plant in Ayrshire bottles whisky, vodka, gin and rum for other businesses.

Mr Bulloch has interests in several businesses including wine wholesaler William Morton, Glen Scotia Distillery and Portavadie Estates.

The Bulloch family can trace its origins in the drinks trade back to a whisky wholesale business in Glasgow in 1842.

At its largest, the A Bul-loch and Co retail chain had 25 shops but these have all been sold as the company began to concentrate on whisky production and bottling.