A STRONG performance by its Scottish arm has helped boost a construction firm’s full-year results.

Kier Group, a leading UK property, residential, construction and services group, and the parent company of Kier Construction Scotland, has reported revenue of £4.27 billion in the year to June 30, and increase of five per cent, and a three per cent rise in underlying profits to £146 million. Kier also has a £9.5bn order book.

Kier Construction Scotland has a turnover of more than £150m per year and employs more than 200 people from its offices in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Newcastle.

Managing director Brian McQuade said: “In Scotland, Kier has secured a strong and steady pipeline of activity through increasing our framework and tender wins.

“Most recently we have been appointed as a partner on the £160m Aberdeenshire Council Social Housing Improvement Framework and the £125m Aberdeenshire Council Capital Works Framework.

“We have also strengthened our healthcare portfolio with a number of recent wins, including work with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde at Stobhill Hospital and NHS Highland at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

“We have also been appointed principal supply chain partner at Golden Jubilee National Hospital under Frameworks Scotland 2.

“Education remains an important sector for us and we are currently developing the design and build requirements for the new £25m Queen Margaret Academy in Ayr and are on site at the £43m William McIlvanney Campus in Kilmarnock and at the £35m redevelopment of Marr College in Troon.

“In conjunction with our partners hub South West, we have recently completed the £25m Ayr Academy for South Ayrshire Council and the £36m Garnock Campus for North Ayrshire Council.

“Kier Construction Scotland is also working on an exciting range of heritage projects, restoring some of the country’s most important landmarks.

“We have just completed the new roof as part of the intricate restoration work that we are carrying out at the world-renowned Mackintosh Building for Glasgow School of Art. We have also completed the first phase of the Grade A-listed sandstone building off Lauriston Place for Edinburgh College of Art, in time for the new academic year and work is on schedule as we restore of one of Scotland’s oldest and most historic concert halls – the A-listed Aberdeen Music Hall.

Kier Group chief executive Haydn Mursell said: “Our underlying performance for the year was good. Having simplified our portfolio, the group is more focused and able to pursue its growth ambitions in our three core markets – building, infrastructure and housing, which now represent 90 per cent of the group’s revenue and profit.

“We continue to invest in the business to improve our operational efficiency, providing a robust platform on which to take advantage of the strong long-term fundamentals in these core markets.”