Shearwater Regulatory News (SWG)

16 May 2006 07:00

Scott Wilson Group plc16 May 2006 For immediate release Tuesday, 16 May 2006 Scott Wilson Group plc Year End Trading Update Acquisition Notice of Results Scott Wilson Group plc ("Scott Wilson"), the international consultancy offeringintegrated professional services in the transportation, property, environmentaland natural resources sectors, today issues a trading statement for itsfinancial year ended 30 April 2006. Its maiden set of preliminary results as alisted company will be issued on Thursday, 20 July 2006. Trading UpdateThe Board is pleased to report that the Group has traded slightly ahead of themarket expectations set at the time of the IPO. Our secured order book is now inexcess of £200 million (2005: £84 million), following the: • recently announced Crossrail contract • recently announced Edinburgh Airport Rail Link contract • appointment as Design Checker and Independent Engineer to Hellenic Autopistas, who have been announced as preferred bidder for the Ioania Odos motorway concession in Greece. The value to Scott Wilson working in joint venture with OMEK Consulting Engineers SA is approximately Euros 17 million. Scott Wilson Pavement Engineering The Group has recently acquired the 30% minority interest in Nottingham basedScott Wilson Pavement Engineering Ltd, a leading consultancy in the evaluationof highways, runway pavements and rail track beds, from two founder members ofthe Company. The consideration for this acquisition was £0.63 million in cash.Scott Wilson Pavement Engineering is already a successful business with over 130staff and is expected to benefit further from being fully integrated within theGroup. Geoff French, Chairman of Scott Wilson commented: "I am delighted with the acquisition of the minority interest in Scott WilsonPavement Engineering and I expect that this strong business will continue toperform well now it is wholly owned by the Group. "Market conditions in all our key sectors remain buoyant and this, together withour recent contract successes, record order book and strong trading performance,increases our confidence in the Group's future prospects." For further information please contact: Scott Wilson Group plc www.scottwilson.comGeoff French, Chairman 01256 310 200Stephen Kimmett, Finance Director Smithfield 020 7360 4900Katie Hunt 07884 494112Reg Hoare 07831 406117 Print resolution images are available for the media to view and download from www.vismedia.co.uk Notes to editors: Scott WilsonScott Wilson is an international consultancy offering integrated professionalservices for civil and structural engineering projects, transportation,environmental studies and institutional development. It was ranked as the ninthlargest UK-owned engineering consultant by fee income for the calendar year 2005in the New Civil Engineer 2006 annual survey. The Company earned approximately 67 per cent. of its revenue over the threeyears to 30 April 2005 in the UK and approximately 33% overseas. The Company hasan existing network of international offices controlled through six regionalcentres in Warsaw, Johannesburg, Dubai, Delhi, Bangkok and Shanghai/Hong Kong. Scott Wilson has strong relationships with UK government departments,non-governmental agencies, multinational companies, national governments andsupranational funding bodies. In the financial year ended 30 April 2005, 32 ofthe Company's clients were billed over £1 million and the top 55 of theCompany's clients (which exceeded 1,500 in total) accounted for aggregate feesin excess of £100 million. Important clients and partners include Network Rail, the Highways Agency,Balfour Beatty, Alfred McAlpine, Cross London Rail Links, English Partnerships,Defence Estates, tie and the Roads Service Northern Ireland. Well known projects on which Scott Wilson has worked include The Eden Project,Bangkok Airport, Manchester Airport, Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower, the UK WestCoast Route Modernisation and Victoria Station and a number of LondonUnderground stations. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange