Scott Wilson Group - the engineering consultancy which employs around 150 people across the Midlands - yesterday posted a 28 per cent increase in interim profits.
The group, which specialises in the transport, property, environment and natural resources sectors, said pre-tax profits for the 26 weeks to October 28 were £10.2 million against £7.98 million last time.
Scott Wilson said it had a record order book of £280 million, adding that it would provide good visibility through the second half of the year and beyond.
It also said it was upgrading its medium term growth targets, with an operating margin of at least 10 per cent expected by 2013 and annual growth in earnings per share of 15 per cent.
Chairman Geoff French said: "This has been another period of significant growth for Scott Wilson, during which we have continued to take full advantage of strong market conditions and reap the rewards of the strategic acquisitions we have made.
"The important project wins, in both our domestic and international business, during the first half of the year demonstrate the increasing diversity of the group, both in terms of geography and market sectors.
"The combination of our broader service offering with a record order book and continuing high demand means we are confident we will deliver results in line with full year expectations."
The group said operating profit adjusted for the effect of intangible amortisation, the group's share of joint venture tax and changes in the fair value of derivative financial instruments, was £11 million against £7.2 million previously on a 35 per cent rise in group revenue to £146.9 million. Organic revenue growth was more than 10 per cent.
The company increased the interim dividend by 20 per cent to 1.2 pence per share.
Scott Wilson has 80 offices of which 40 are in the UK and the rest are in China, Hong Kong, India, south east Asia, the Middle East, eastern Europe and southern Africa.
In May, it bought Plymouth-based building services consultancy DCL Consulting Engineers and in July, the group acquired Scottish property specialists McLay Collier.
"These acquisitions and those made last year are integrating very well and are continuing to deliver significant operating synergies," the group said in a statement.
During the first half, the company won contracts including the Central Motorway in Greece, the Three Counties Alliance in England and the Waverley Railway and the Airdrie-Bathgate rail reopening schemes in Scotland.
Funding for London's east-west Crossrail scheme was confirmed by the Government in October.
Meanwhile, Mr French said the group was eyeing international acquisitions after turning around the performance of its overseas division.
He said the company was talking to unidentified parties about some potential acquisitions overseas as well as in the UK, but was staying cautious.
