Group wins contract for UK defence sites

The Leeds-based group, which earlier this year changed its name from White Young Green after a major restructuring, will provide professional and technical support to Defence Estates, ranging from project management to design of major schemes. The contract will cover sites in a wide area of the north of the UK. Work will be done through MoD sites including Catterick Garrison, Sutton Coldfield and RAF Brampton in England and RAF Lossiemouth, HMNB Faslane and Rosyth in Scotland and Lisburn Barracks Northern Ireland.

Defence Estates manages the military estate, including accommodation for servicemen and women and their families, on behalf of the MoD. Clive Anderson, managing director of WYG management services, said: "We are delighted with our appointment on this high profile framework which demonstrates our ability to deliver a full and comprehensive range of services across this wide ranging geographical area.

"It is a fantastic opportunity for us to further strengthen our successful working relationship with this valued client, for whom we have enjoyed working for some twenty years. We will focus on providing a flexible, integrated and highly responsive service that utilises a wide range of skills from across the company in delivering technical excellence."

WYG is trying to diversify its earnings after coming close to collapse during the recession, owing to a heavy debt burden and the crashing construction sector. As part of its new strategy it is also focusing on growing international revenues to make up for poor conditions in the UK and Ireland.Recently it said while international revenues are picking up, "there is, as yet, no evidence of sustained or significant recovery" across the group.

Recent figures shows revenue slumped 20 per cent to 115.2m in the six months to the end of December. After exceptional items, WYG made a half-year pre-tax loss of 4.5m against a 2.1m loss a year earlier.