White Young Green announces loss of another 324 jobs

WYG continues to wield the axe as the consultancy group battles to survive. The headcount fell by another 324 in the first four months of 2009 – this following an earlier cut in employee numbers of 235 during 2008.

WYG’s closure of seven regional offices hasn’t proved to be the answer hoped for and now another five are to be shed by the year end as the group “concentrates on stronger, quality focused regional centres”.

Lawrie Haynes, WYG's former chief executive, left with immediate effect on 12 January.  

In an interim management statement this morning, the group said: “WYG will incur significant exceptional costs during the second half of the financial year including redundancy costs and costs arising upon office closures.

“The majority of the exceptional costs relating to office closures are provisions for rent and associated costs that will be paid in the future on due dates in accordance with lease agreements. 

WYG was unable to give any indication as the overall likely pre-tax loss (or pre-tax profit) at the end of the financial year.

Engineering

A more challenging market. However, orders continue to be received in the publicly funded rail, nuclear and education sectors and in property maintenance.

Recent new projects include an appointment by Network Rail to work on the North London Line which will run from Richmond to Stratford and serve the Olympic Park.

Also selected by Skanska to carry out mechanical and electrical services on the All Saints Academy Cheltenham, which provides education facilities for 1200 pupils. The project is part funded by the Church of England

Management Services

Continues to deliver solid profits despite trading conditions remaining mixed across the commercial client base.

The group has been awarded by the MoD an RAF term commission year 5 - extension to an existing framework agreement for the specialist term commission for buildings and facilities to six RAF operational bases in England and Scotland.

Environment Planning Transport

Solid performance.

Ireland

Challenging. The order book has declined during the period.
 and the Republic of Ireland Engineering and Management Services operations have

International

The order book for WYG International is now at a record level of circa £90m. The international public sector continues to provide opportunities across Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and Africa in particular.
The division was commissioned by the Department of Road and Rail Services in Wroclaw to provide consultancy services for the reconstruction of the road linking the Zerniki Wroclawskie roundabout with the Wroclaw-Wschod motorway junction in Krajkow.