黑洞社区

WSP has reported a 3.2% drop in profits in its half year results up to 30 June.

The group鈥檚 profit fell from 拢18.9m to 拢18.3m while revenue reduced to 拢354.4m from 拢376.9m for the first half of 2009. 

According to the firm the first half of the year has seen the continuation of challenging trading conditions, however strong performance of its Northern European business has helped to offset weakness in other markets.

Transport and infrastructure, which had a strong performance in the first half of 2009, saw revenue fall by 8.3% to 拢109.0m and operating profits declined to 拢5.8m, with the UKparticularly affected.

The environment and energy business has also had a challenging first half across all regions with revenues falling by 9.5%.

The firm鈥檚 property division generated revenues of 拢158.1m a decrease of 11% from 2009, however operating profits improved to 拢7.8m in 2010 from 拢5.8m in 2009.

Chris Cole, chief executive, said: 鈥淲e are pleased to have achieved this steady performance, in a market which continues to show ongoing uncertainty. Our diversified business across our regional markets has provided, and will continue to provide, trading resilience in the face of these market uncertainties.

鈥淲e have demonstrated our focus and ability to manage the challenges presented by current economic conditions and we continue to have confidence that WSP will trade resiliently and emerge an even stronger group as markets improve.鈥�

The company says its order book remains strong, standing at 拢945m in June 2010, compared to 拢960m for December 2009.

Last week WSP announced that it was to lay off 50 workers in the UK following lower levels of public sector spending.

The company made 1,000 employees, around 10% of its global workforce, redundant in the year leading up to July 2009, mostly in the UK and Middle East.