STANLEY, NC – Blum U.S., a manufacturer and supplier of cabinet and furniture hardware, reported a net profit of $11.1 million for its recently ended 2012 fiscal year.

Blum said its sales increased 6.6% compared to its 2011 fiscal year. The company employs 355 people at its North Carolina facility.

Karl Rudisser, Blum’s president and CEO, said, “We attribute this increase to the introduction of our Compact Blumotion soft closing hinges and the continued success of Clip top Blumotion hinges, and Tandem plus Blumotion runners. Higher value products like these offer greater ‘wow factor’ in our customers’ showrooms, easier installations and greater value added to each kitchen they sell.”

Rudisser added that Blum was able to leverage its nationwide distributor network to capitalize on the growth of the remodeling sector.

During the past year, Blum invested $13.3 million in new assembly lines and other equipment at its North Carolina facility. Capital investment projects included upgrades to the Tandem plus Blumotion assembly line and two new assembly machines for Compact Blumotion.

The Blum Group, headquartered in Austria, announced worldwide sales of $1.703 billion for its 2012 fiscal year, up 8.2% over FY 2011. Blum employs 5,460 people worldwide. The company manufactures in four countries, has 27 subsidiaries and representation in 150 countries.