黑洞社区

Atkins UK has posted a 28% jump in operating profit in strong overall first-half results for the stock exchange-listed engineer.

Over the six months to September 2015, Atkins鈥� UK division posted an operating profit of 拢29.1m, up 28% from 拢22.7m the previous year. The division鈥檚 revenue increased 7% to 拢426.4m, up from 拢398.5m, while its headcount increased to 9,155-strong.

Atkins said the improved UK performance was driven by better trading across its transportation and water, ground and environement businesses compared to 鈥渁 challenging trading period last year鈥�, while its aerospace business began 鈥渟tabilising鈥� and picked up new business.

The firm also hailed the UK government鈥檚 creation of the National Infrastructure Commission, which it said would 鈥渉elp build consensus behind the funding and delivery of the UK鈥檚 critical national infrastructure and harness cross party political support to gain certainty around the infrastructure pipeline鈥�.

Atkins subsidiary Faithful+Gould enjoyed 鈥渁nother good first half鈥�, it said, buoyed by further appointments through its Scape consulting framework, particularly in the higher education sector.

Overall, Atkins posted a 38% jump in pre-tax profit to 拢53.8m, up from 拢39m, while revenue increased 9% to up from 拢831.4m.

Underlying operating profit - which strips out finance and exceptional costs - increased 11.3% to 拢59m, up from 拢53m.

Overall staff numbers increase 4% to 18,609, up from 17,898. The firm鈥檚 underlying operating margin edged up to 6.5%, up from 6.4%. Atkins鈥� UK operating margin increased to 6.8%, up from 5.7%.

Atkins said it enjoyed a 鈥渟trong performance鈥� in the Middle East over the half-year, while the firm is 鈥渋nvesting for growth鈥� in North America after picking up a major win - a $45m (拢30m) highway design contract in Nevada.

In Asia Pacific results were in line with expectations despite 鈥渃hallenging鈥� market conditions in China, while the Energy business endured a 鈥渄ifficult first half鈥� due to the continuing slowdown in the oil and gas markets, although there was good growth in nuclear and power/renewables.

Atkins chief executive Uwe Krueger (pictured) said: 鈥淥ur outlook for the full year remains unchanged. While short-term market uncertainty exists in some of our sectors, our strategic focus has put us in a strong position to benefit from longer-term growth.

鈥淎s urbanisation increases, infrastructure spending across the globe is predicted to grow significantly in the medium-term and we are well placed to benefit from this investment.鈥�

Atkins was lead designer on the revamp of Birmingham New Street station, which opened in September.

Speaking to 黑洞社区, Atkins UK and Europe CEO, Nick Roberts, said the firm has a 鈥渃alm confidence鈥� around its 鈥渆ncouraging鈥� results.

Roberts highlighted the success of Atkins鈥� transportation business, and said that despite 鈥減ipeline uncertainty鈥� over the Network Rail review, rail and road remain 鈥渨ell funded markets.鈥�

He said: 鈥淲hile some of the projects might change, CP5 remains a five-year plan and the 拢38bn is still on the table to be delivered. And of course there is also the government鈥檚 ambitious roads investment plan.鈥�