Emphasis moves towards high-profile schemes in health, education and sport.

Hiltons – the engineering services firm involved in constructing the new stand at the Brit Oval in time for the successful conclusion of this summer’s Ashes – has increased its turnover from £20m to £26m in 2005. No profit details have been released.

Growth came despite high levels of competition in the industry, according to chairman Geoffrey Hilton.

Hilton said: “It's been a year of change with the emphasis moving towards high-profile schemes in health, education and sport in both the private and public sector. We've been able to benefit from this by taking the opportunities presented.”

Hilton said that many in the private sector were still taking a low-cost approach to contracts. He said that the industry must learn to use more integrated teams and respond to the challenge of assessing best value using whole life cost analysis.

Hiltons is currently on site at Derby City Hospital with a £7m NHS project for the Kings Treatment Centre. In Greater Nottingham, Hiltons has secured orders for 2006 of £10m under the government's scheme to improve primary health care facilities.

Among other public sector projects, the firm is on site at Charring Cross Hospital, London, and at a number of RAF bases across the UK.

Hiltons is currently adding to its 125 workforce to meet growth forecasts for the next year.