Havelock Europa Regulatory News (HVE)

28 Jan 2005 07:00

Havelock Europa PLC28 January 2005 HAVELOCK EUROPA PLC Pre-Close Season Trading Update Havelock, the Education Supply, Point of Sale Display and Retail Interiorsgroup, proposes to announce its results for the year ended 31 December 2004 on 5April 2005. The Board expects these results to show a third successive annualunderlying increase and to be in line with market expectations. Point of SaleDisplay has had a good year, Retail Interiors has traded better than expected,and 2004's two Education Supply acquisitions - TeacherBoards and Clean Air -have both made an excellent contribution. ESA McIntosh, the UK market leader inscience laboratories and fitted furniture for schools, will again contributesubstantially to profits, but at a lower level than was originally expected, asa result of contract slippage. There is clear evidence, within the PFI market served by ESA McIntosh, that anumber of projects, most notably those where Jarvis is or was originally themain contractor, are moving more slowly than was previously anticipated with theresult that a number of projects originally scheduled for 2005 will now takeplace in 2006 and 2007. This will constrain ESA McIntosh's growth in 2005 ascompared with earlier expectations although the group continues to expect stronggrowth overall. Havelock remains on track with its plan to develop higher growth, moreprofitable businesses and the outlook remains positive. Enquiries: Havelock Europa PLC 01383-820 044Hew Balfour (Chief Executive) 07801-683 851Graham MacSporran (Finance Director) 07801-683 803 Bankside Consultants LimitedCharles Ponsonby 020-7444 4166 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange