OXFORD logistics company Unipart reported profits down from £19.4m to £19.2m on sales of £1.143bn.

Chief executive John Neill said the results reflected strong performance in a difficult market.

The company has taken on 65 new staff at its Cowley warehouse after winning an extension to its contracts with Halfords - for whom it will now distribute bicycles - and Homebase.

It is the city's major private employer, second only to BMW, with 1,500 staff in Cowley and 9,000 worldwide.

In 2006, Mr Neill lambasted the performance of his car-parts division, and the management team left following what he claimed were "ill-judged cost-cutting measures", with a pre-tax loss of £28m.

Since then, Unipart has invested £6m restructuring the division, which Mr Neill says has now turned the corner, with an increase in sales.