The chairman of the Robertson Group, the major UK construction, infrastructure and support services company, was delighted with the organisation’s target-beating progress.
The group, with a major presence in Tayside, achieved a 52% rise in turnover at £437.9 million and a pre-tax profit up 73% at £20.34m for the year to March 2016.
Elgin-based Robertson took over the Dundee headquarters of the former Muirfield Contracts for its multi-million pound Tayside activities, including the new Harris Academy, Baldragon Academy and Brechin Community Campus.
In achieving the financial results, the group exceeded the projected performance set out five years ago in a strategic plan.
Chairman Bill Robertson said the group, now in its 50th year,had enjoyed another year of strong progress, lifting the margin of the business to 4.6% and generating cash of £17.1m.
It now had 19 business units in a diversified portfolio producing a mix of long and short-term cash flows, profits and investments.
With a strengthened balance sheet, he said the business was in an excellent position to support future growth and new investment.
The year had resulted in a £100m turnover in England for the first time. Robertson Group had also established itself as “a significant niche infrastructure provider” of major projects in excess of £50m and “a trusted partner in many public and private sector frameworks.”
The construction business was very successful, with four regional businesses in Scotland and three in England where it saw considerable scope for further growth.
Robertson’s major projects division was well into the £130m development at the Macallan Distillery for the Edrington Group, Suntory and William Grant.
Other projects included the new £251m Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre and the new £60m hospital development or Orkney.
Robertson Capital Projects was delivering 42 projects with a capital value of £540m, and Robertson Facilities Management enjoyed the recurring revenue stream from its £1bn order book over the next 25 years.
Robertson Homes was growing and Robertson Timber Engineering’s sales were up 40%.
The group continued to invest in its people with its employee base growing 23.7% to an average of 1,637 and at near to 2000 in March 2016.
The group had 37 apprentices, 53 employees working towards NVQ/SVQs and a further 29 pursuing higher and professional qualifications, supporting its belief that the quality of its staff was its most valuable asset.
It was committed to ensuring that local communities, economies and supply chains have the opportunity to benefit from Robertson Group activities.
Mr Robertson concluded: “With the current secured order book we are confidently expecting the coming year to be another highly successful one.”
