Interiors and roofing firm SIG has reported a rise in sales of 8% in 2011

In a trading update issued to investors SIG said group sales reached £2.7bn last year. It attributed the rise in part to mild weather conditions towards the end of the year allowing work to continue through the winter.

Sales in Europe increased significantly with an rise of 11% and sales in France performed particularly well with a revenue increase of 14%.

However, the firm was still circumspect about the outlook for 2012. It said: “While trading in the last quarter of 2011 remained resilient, the recent weakening in the macroeconomic outlook for both the UK and mainland Europe leads the group to expect that market volumes will be slightly down overall in 2012.”

In 2011 the firm sold its interiors manufacturing, scaffolding and safety and work wear arms, which it said would now allow it to focus on insulation, energy management, interior fit out and roofing.