Gross revenue was up 2.8% for the six months to 30 June 2012 to 拢1, 210m (2011 H1: 拢1177m).
Profit before tax was 拢32.6m (2011 H1: 拢30.1m).
Support services in the UK contributed 拢572.1m of the revenues, an 11.5% increase, and 拢19.6m of operating profit, up 23.3%. The operating margin increased to 3.4 per cent (H1 2011: 3.1 per cent), reflecting further cost reductions and the emerging scale benefits of increased revenue.
Future workload for the division (UK and international), increased from 拢4.5bn at the end of 2011 to 拢4.7bn in H1 2012 with new work won from clients such as West Yorkshire Police, Alder Hey Children鈥檚 NHS Foundation Trust, National Grid, BPP, Sainsbury鈥檚, Alliance Boots, William Hill and Ladbrokes. Included within this future workload is more than 拢600m scheduled for 2013.
UK construction revenue, by contrast, was up just 0.4% to 拢366.2m while operating profit fell 27% from 拢10.0m last time to 拢7.3m.
Equipment services, including RMD Kwikform, saw a 拢10.2% rise in first half revenue to 拢81.9m and a 15.3% rise in operating profit to 拢6.8m.
Chief executive Adrian Ringrose said: 鈥淭he medium-term outlook for our businesses remains positive, based on our growth strategy of building strong core businesses, developing internationally and capturing related expansion opportunities.
鈥淚n Support Services we are focused on delivering continued margin improvement combined with volume growth. We will continue developing our business internationally, concentrating on the petrochemical sector and on servicing clients with complex real-estate assets.
鈥淲e expect both UK and international construction revenues to remain subdued in the near term with growth potentially resuming in 2014. Our margin expectations remain unchanged.
鈥淚n Equipment Services, we envisage a continued recovery in revenues and progressive margin improvement driven by growing demand for infrastructure.
鈥淚n addition to the trends outlined above in our main businesses, we believe there are a range of further opportunities available in related sectors, services and geographies and we are well positioned to pursue these, both organically and, where appropriate, through acquisition.鈥�
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