Consultant acquires £38m-turnover planning and surveying firm Conics

Property and resources consultant RPS has bought Australian planning and surveying firm Conics for A$64.4m (£31.3m).

In the financial year ending 30 June 2008, Conics had revenue of A$78.8m (£38.4m, at current exchange rates) and profit before tax of A$11.5m (£5.6m.)

RPS also said in a trading update that it had experienced pricing pressures in the oil and gas exploration markets during the second quarter.

It added that it had reduced its net bank debt from the £27m reported in the interim management statement of 30 April.

RPS pointed to “particular resilience” being shown in the water and nuclear sectors in the UK and in the Dutch and Australian economies”, but it warned that the effect of public finance deficits in infrastructure had yet to become clear and would “probably not do so for some time”.

The firm's interim results will be published at the end of the month