The Irish software manufacturer CBT said yesterday it had record sales and earnings for the first quarter of this year.

The firm said revenues for the first three months of 1998 were $34 million (£25 million), a rise of 51 per cent on the same period in 1997, while net income of $6.3 million (£4.6 million) was up 70 per cent.

The NASDAQ-quoted company said expansions of existing contracts had driven the gains, as well as new customers. By the end of March, CBT said, its library of software titles had grown by 67 to 625, and it had 1,651 corporate customers.

"On every front, CBT Group has continued to execute skilfully on a sound business strategy that has enabled us to grow the company consistently every quarter," said the firm's president and chief executive, Mr James Buckley. "Our record first quarter revenues were based in part from expanded and upgraded renewals from existing customers, demonstrating a high level of customer satisfaction with our proven training methodology and the depth and breadth of our award-winning IT training content."

He said the company had continued to expand, adding an Internet-based software training system and signing two distribution agreements in Latin America.

Mr Buckley said the firm had expanded its list of co-development partners from 11 at the end of 1997 to 17 by the end of March.

Another significant development, CBT said, was the announcement of a plan to acquire the ForeFront Group, a rapidly growing company that has refined the telemarketing process for computer-based training products.

ForeFront opened a telesales operation in Dublin last October; the $147 million (£108 million) takeover will see the operation's 30 employees working for CBT. The larger firm, which has its worldwide development centre in Clonskeagh, already employs 350 in Ireland. Sources at the company said yesterday staffing numbers in Dublin were expected to rise. It employs 800 people worldwide.