Contractor Banner Holdings has announced a positive set of annual results seven months after a £5m management buyout from Henry Boot.
Its pre-tax profit rose from £970,000 in 2001 to £1.1m last year. Turnover fell, however, from £75m to £55m.

Banner director Peter Hook said the group aimed to regain some of its turnover in the next 12 months.

He said: "Our aim for the next five years is to grow organically, utilising our strategic partnerships and alliances, enabling us to increase our turnover by 20% in the next year."

Chairman and managing director Peter Elston offered an explanation of the fall in turnover in the annual report.

He said that the firm had been forced to set aside some resources to manage the separation from Henry Boot and this had affected the number of orders the company was able to take on. Elston added that the company had a record £9m in cash at its disposal.