300 more jobs to go at Atkins

Updating the stock market today, Atkins said its year end head count will be around 17,700, implying a further 300 jobs are to go in the next six weeks, as it approaches its financial year end on 31 March.

A spokesperson for the firm said: “This is a continuation of previous restructuring and all of the positions will be in consultation at present.

We’ve said the highways business has been the most heavily impacted by government spending cuts and we need to allocate resources according to demand”.

Atkins’ interim management statement said trading is “in line with our expectations, despite challenging market conditions” but that its broad exposure to a number of sectors was providing some protection.

Its water business is performing well and offsetting weakness in other areas. It is seeing improving workload from the water companies as their AMP5 investment programmes begin, following a slow ramp up of the new investment programme.

The acquisition of PBSJ, an American firm is performing well. Commenting on its current trading, Atkins said: “Trading in the first four months of ownership has been in line with expectations and the acquisition provides the Group with an excellent platform for growth in the largest economy in the world. The integration is progressing well and we are confident of our ability to leverage our enhanced capabilities.”

Post Atkins’ acquisition of PBSJ in October last year, the combined group employed around 18,500 staff, meaning that 500 jobs have gone in the past four months.