Strong increases in sales and profits

Forward order book up to £6.2 billion

Excellent flow of new awards won totalling some £650m – including £160m contract for England’s Traffic Control Centre

Bid win rate over 70%; with contract renewal rate over 90%

Major contracts extended include the National Physical Laboratory and Docklands Light Railway

New education business established with £35 million annual turnover including contracts in Bradford and Walsall

Richard White, Executive Chairman, said:

We are continuing to demonstrate strong organic growth across our range of contracts and businesses. Our interim figures are underpinned by an exceptionally high renewal rate for existing contracts, a substantial order book and a continuing strong performance in winning new business in growth markets.

This underlying strength and the increasing diversity of our portfolio is providing us with a strong platform for sustained long-term growth. We remain confident that we are well placed to benefit from significant growth opportunities as the trend towards private sector involvement in public services continues to gather impetus internationally.