Business as usual at WSP

Consultancy group WSP is back to "business as usual" as a £150m turnover in the first half of 2003 produced a healthy pre-tax profit of £3.5m.
The group's transportation and infrastructure businesses are reported to be very busy, although parts of the private sector, particularly in the commercial and financial areas, remain quiet.
Announcing its latest interim results (six months to 30 June), chairman David Turner said: "We consider the situation stable."
The PFI-driven markets of education and health are generating a good workload.
The group's position in the US is less rosy; WSP is finding that as large commercial projects finish, it is difficult to find replacement work. The group is trying to widen its base by pushing into education, pharmaceutical, health and government work.
South Africa has performed well. Despite a lack of signs of improvement in Hong Kong, WSP feels that it is a good time to continue its push into China and Vietnam.
Turner said: "The group has been restructured to address prevailing markets." During 2002, WSP's annual profit slipped to a wafer-thin £400,000. This was the result of a restructuring programme that cost £5.3m and an exceptional charge of £1.2m from a project to design and build three internet data centres in Europe.