Pimlico Plumbers, a large independent plumbing company, has announced it achieved its highest ever monthly sales in October 2012.

The Central London-based company reported sales of £1.7 million during October - a 24% increase on the same month last year. The figure beats the company's previous record of £1.64 million, which was set in November 2010.

Traditionally, Pimlico Plumbers’ says its busy winter period usually begins in November. However, poor autumn weather and an increased capacity to respond to emergency call outs has led to an earlier-than-usual upsurge in business.

The figures put the company on course to beat its previous best annual sales figures of £17 million, which was set in 2011.

Pimlico Plumbers’ founder Charlie Mullins attributes the company’s recent success to its ability to adapt to changing markets and through the growth of its workforce. A summer recruitment drive saw the company add a further 20 skilled engineers to its team, with more engineers currently being recruited.

The company operates 24-hours a day, seven days a week, and currently has more than 150 vans, trucks and motorbikes operating in London, with over 160 skilled plumbers, heating engineers, carpenters, builders and locksmiths.

Mullins said: “This year, more than any other, we are as prepared as we can be going into the busy winter season. Since the beginning of the recession our ability to quickly react to emergency call-outs has become more and more crucial to our success. Increasingly small jobs and emergencies are replacing larger projects, and any company not nimble enough to respond to this market trend is at a severe disadvantage. This is why having more high quality engineers on hand to service the demand has, and is, paying dividends.”