Ground engineer is buoyed by strong performance in US as interim profit hits 拢33m

Pre-tax profit at Keller Group has rocketed 114% in the first half of the year thanks to a strong performance from its North American businesses.

Profit before tax jumped to 拢33.4m for the first six months to 30 June 2006 up from 拢15.6m for the same period last year. Operating profit was 拢35.7m up from 拢17.6m giving the company a record margin of 7.9%. Group sales for the period were up 34% at 拢450m.

Keller chief executive Justin Atkinson said: 鈥�'In addition to another excellent performance from our North American businesses, we can report very strong organic growth and a significant increase in margins in all our other geographic regions.鈥�

Earlier this month, Keller acquired Australian foundations specialist Piling Contractors for an initial consideration of 拢9.6m. Piling Contractors had a turnover of about 拢20m for the year ended 30 June 2006.