Specialist construction group Morgan Sindall told shareholders it was trading in line with expectations and was seeing growth - especially in the fit out and affordable housing sectors.
In an upbeat pre-close trading update, the company yesterday said its order intake in the first half had been strong, with the forward order book currently standing at £2.9 billion, up 28 per cent from the start of the year.
Executive chairman John Morgan said: "The group has traded strongly in the first half of the year and I am pleased by the progress made by each of our divisions. I remain excited about our prospects not only for the second half but also in the longer term."
The company, which has a strong presence in the Midlands, said its Fit Out operations traded strongly during the first half of the year, with the commercial property market showing signs of further improvement.
Morgan Sindall also said that, as expected, margins had improved as Fit Out continued to increase its market share. The new regional offices in Birmingham and Manchester were trading positively, it added.
The outlook remained encouraging with the forward order book increasing further from the start of the year.
The group's construction operations have also continued to improve, with the three offices and associated contracts acquired at the end of 2004 integrated successfully, contributing to the division's turnover and profit growth.
Morgan Sindall will announce its interim results on August 8.
