In the six months to 31 December 2000, turnover increased by 52% to £308 million compared with the same period last year, and profit before taxation and goodwill amortisation rose by 35% to GBP19.6 million. The Group remains highly cash generative and produced a net cash inflow from operations of GBP15.9 million up from GBP5.6 million over the same period in 1999.
In the six months to 31 December we continued to develop our services revenue and whilst our Infrastructure revenue rose by 46% to GBP266.9 million our professional services revenue increased by 106% to GBP41.1 million.
In the last six months our continental European revenue amounted to GBP72.2 million (1999: GBP50.5 million) and gross profit to GBP10.6 million (1999: GBP6.7 million). Revenues rose 32% in France to GBP41.3 million and 60% in Germany to GBP30.9 million. Operating profits were GBP1.5 million in France (1999: GBP0.8 million) and GBP1.0 million in Germany (1999: loss GBP0.2 million), showing that our German operation has now moved past the start-up phase. During the period under review we continued to invest in these businesses and also strengthened their management teams. With these solid and profitable foundations in place in France and Germany we believe that we now have the necessary financial and management capacity to expand into new European geographies.
We have continued to invest in people. Group headcount rose 46% to 1,022 compared with the same period last year. The main area of growth has been professional services, where we now employ 443 people, up from 216 in the equivalent period in 1999.
