Balfour Beatty this week said it had increased the value of the £12.1bn order book it reported in August

The firm did not reveal how much its order book had risen since its half-year results, but claimed further “significant prospects” were likely to be secured in 2009. It expects to reach financial close on four PFI schemes in the first half of the year and said it was benefiting from increased public spending.

It is understood the company’s Mansell division exceeded £1bn in turnover last year, although final figures will be confirmed in March at the group’s full-year results.

The news came in the week the country’s largest contractor celebrated its 100th birthday.