黑洞社区

Staff numbers at global engineer WSP will grow again in 2012 after having 鈥渢aken the pain鈥� of job losses last year, its chief executive Chris Cole has said.

WSP experienced a net loss of 232 jobs in the UK in 2011 as it restructured its business away from under-performing divisions such as transport to focus on growth areas including its energy and environment business.

The losses included 163 jobs in its transport division, which Cole admitted was partly down to the 鈥渃rap鈥� performance of its road business.

There was a net fall of 128 jobs across the group globally, from 8,904 staff in 2010 to 8,776 staff last year.

But Cole told 黑洞社区 that WSP would return to being a 鈥渘et recruiter鈥� in 2012.

Turnover across the global group grew 1% in the year ended 31 December 2011, from 拢706.9m in 2010 to 拢713.3m, while pre-tax profit dropped 2% from 拢19.2m to 拢18.9m.

Profit at the consultant鈥檚 UK arm fell by two-thirds from 拢9.8m in 2010 to 拢3.3m in the year ended 31 December 2011, partly reflecting the 拢3.6m cost of redundancy settlements.

The consultant鈥檚 environment and energy and property divisions grew 10% and 5% respectively, while transport and infrastructure and manufacturing and industry shrank 5% and 4% respectively.

Cole said the company was gearing up its environment and energy division in response to growing demand for renewable projects expertise and mining infrastructure services - particularly in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

He added the firm was focused on increasing the division鈥檚 operating margin, which was 3.7% last year.

A 鈥渧ery subdued鈥� performance in the UK road business dragged revenue down 12% at the firm鈥檚 UK transport division, from 拢83.3m to 拢73.2m - despite major wins on Crossrail and on the High Speed 2 technical and engineering framework.

Cole said the firm saw Qatar as 鈥渢he new centre of activity in the Middle East鈥� and was 鈥渨ell placed鈥� to win work on the Qatar 2022 World Cup construction programme, which he expects to come to market in 2013.