Design and engineering firm WS Atkins will move its fast-growing Aberdeen team into new offices at the start of next year.
Martin Grant, chief executive of the group’s energy division, said all 200 staff in the Granite City would make the move from two separate sites.
The new offices in Kirkgate House in the city centre will give the company 18,0000 square feet, providing room for further growth as Atkins continues to pick up more work from the North Sea energy sector.
Mr Grant said a 15-year-lease signed for the new site highlighted the company’s commitment to the area, and its strong faith in the local market.
“We still see big opportunities in new field developments and in work aimed at keeping existing fields going longer,” he added.
He was speaking after Atkins, which has offices in Golden Square and The Exchange building in the city, announced underlying pre-tax profits grew 3% to £104.5million in the year to March 31. Revenue was down slightly at just over £1.7billion, despite a near-20% surge to £151.9million for the energy division.
Mr Grant said the energy business achieved “very strong growth and margins”, delivering a 21.1% increase in operating profits to £13.8million. Atkins shares rose 32.5p to 912.5p.
The group employed nearly 1,400 people in energy work globally at the end of March, a year-on-year rise of more than 16%. In Aberdeen, where most of the division’s staff are, the workforce grew by 30 people.
Atkins said its energy business continued to perform well in buoyant markets across all sectors.
It added: “Our business is underpinned by the global growth in energy requirements as many countries struggle with increasing demand and an imperative to decarbonise to mitigate the effects of climate change.”
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