A recruitment agency saw pre-tax profits rise 82% to more than £1m in a year.

Berry Recruitment, which has a branch in Maidstone, saw turnover increase to more than £42m in 2013.

It aims to boost that figure to more than £50m this year, having doubled revenues in three years.

The firm was named one of the 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain in a London Stock Exchange study and employs more than 150 people.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization todsr 50% to £1.5m last year, with pre-tax profit standing at £1.01m, up from £559,000 in 2012.

Sharteholders’ funds rose from £1.3m to £2.3m, thanks to growth in recruitment in office, industrial, construction and catering sectors.

Chairman Tony Berry said: “We are extremely pleased with the development of the business through 2013.

“Our growth has been largely organic and we aim to supplement it later this year with targeted acquisitions.

“The hard work put in by our staff during the tough years of the recession has laid a solid foundation that we are now building on.

“We are aiming to expand our reach in professional and managerial level roles, while continuing to grow our core, existing business.

“With the economy looking up we are seeing growth in the number of jobs, both permanent and temporary, in all sectors right across the country.

“In fact we are on course to increase our revenue from permanent placements by 30% in 2014.”