黑洞社区

HBG this week revealed a profit hike of almost 73% during 2006, thanks in large part to a strong performance in the education sector.

The privately owned contractor, which is the UK arm of Dutch company Royal BAM Group, reported profit of 拢42m for the year to 31 December 2006, up from 拢24.3m the previous year. Turnover rose 14% to 拢882m.

The latest figures mean that HBG has more than doubled its profit in the past two years.

Richard Gregory, chief executive, said the performance was largely driven by the education sector which, at almost 40% of the company鈥檚 turnover, is its largest market.

During the year, HBG and its parent company were appointed preferred bidder on the 拢74m Solihull 黑洞社区 Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, which was expected to reach financial close as 黑洞社区 went to press. Its parent company is preferred bidder on a 拢120m schools project for West Dunbartonshire council. HBG will carry out design, construction and facilities management on the scheme.

Gregory hit back at criticism of BSF school designs by watchdog Cabe, which has established a review panel led by Ken Shuttleworth to review them. Gregory said: 鈥淥n some schemes, you have only 12 weeks to design a school. It鈥檚 ridiculous.鈥�

HBG also performed well in healthcare; however, the slow emergence of work through the Procure 21 framework meant the firm鈥檚 work was mainly in Wales. It is one of three firms on the Welsh Health Estates framework.