Express & Star

Engineering group Hill & Smith sees 'favourable' conditions

Engineering group Hill & Smith Holdings has said it sees "favourable" conditions in its markets after delivering a four per cent rise in organic revenue.

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Hill & Smith makes motorway crash barriers, among other items

In a trading update for the quarter to October 31 the company, which has manufacturing and galvanizing operations in Bilston, Telford and Walsall, saw revenues rise to £201.5 million.

It means the group remains in line with expectations laid out at the time of its half-year results in August.

Group chief executive Derek Muir said: "Overall, conditions in many of our infrastructure end markets remain favourable and we continue to expect the Group to report good progress for 2017."

The group makes motorway crash barriers at Bilston, and owns Joseph Ash Galvanizing which has sites in Bilston, Telford and Walsall.

In the UK a small number of road schemes have been delayed into 2018, resulting in lower use of the group's temporary safety barriers. It expects activity to ramp up towards the end of the first quarter in 2018.

In galvanizing revenue and profitability was ahead of the same period last year, with higher zinc costs passed on to end customers while slightly reducing margin.