Chief executive Mike Welton said the group remained upbeat. "I don't want to appear over-confident, but we haven't seen a downturn yet. The vast majority of our customers want to go forward with projects and we are happy to service them."
Welton was speaking as the group announced a 17% increase in interim pre-tax profit to £41m. Turnover rose £200m to £1.4bn for the six months to 30 June 2001.
Welton said the firm was looking at acquisitions across all divisions of the group.
He was particularly impressed with the group's building, building management and service division, in which profit rose 50% to £22m.
Welton predicted an improved performance by the rail division, buoyed by better maintenance contracts with Railtrack.
He said: "The problems in the maintenance sector are resolved for us and Railtrack. It's a sensible way forward for both of us."
He said the group's civil engineering and services division had been hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis. First-half profit figures fell £3m to £7m.
The epidemic also hit the division's overhead power lines business.
Welton said the infrastructure market, especially in Scotland, was weak.
