WET News

leaders 2017 19 Eric Wright Water goes into the black Eric Wright WatEr Sceptre house Sceptre Way Bamber Bridge Preston Pr5 6aW tel: 01772 698822 www.ericwright.co.uk the LeADeRS 2017 Eric Wright Water, part of Eric Wright Group, went into the black with its last stated accounts reporting a pre-tax profit of more than £53,500 for the year ending December 31, 2015 having made a loss of £205,230 the previous year. The company's medium term objective is to achieve a net return in excess of 2%. Key water clients include United Utilities and C2V+, which are its two largest customers. It is also continuing to grow its business in Scotland and with Severn Trent and Yorkshire Water. The figures featured in the table belong to Eric Wright Group, which says all its business streams have made steady progress. The group says the water business has demonstrated "significant growth potential" both in terms of activity within the North-west region and also further afield. It says the diversification of client base has proved successful, and new client relationships will have to be nurtured. It is encouraged by the evolution "of what, by measure of turnover, is quickly becoming the second largest part of the group". The group says it ended 2015 with "some excellent achievements" and another set of robust results. Although the year was not without difficulties, where it could have performed better received considerable attention at all levels. Lessons learned, it says, lead to improvement strategies and the start of 2016 saw the group move back towards the consisitent level of quality and programme delivery "that has underpinned our reputation for many years". The group has also been proactive in utilising existing balance sheets resources to increase and strengthen its underlying asset base. It has enabled assets to be brought in that may have development opportunity that can be unlocked in the future. WATER INDUSTRY LEADERS IN THE REFURBISHMENT OF WATER RETAINING STRUCTURES AND ASSOCIATED ASSETS Stonbury Head Office: Chawston House, Chawston Lane, Chawston, Bedfordshire, MK44 3BH t 01234 750924 e enquiries@stonbury.co.uk www.stonbury.com thE NUMBErS 2013 2014 2015 % chaNgE Sales £M 152.7 160.6 177.4 10 Gross profit £M 12.5 15.2 14.2 -7 Operating profit £M 3.7 6.3 4.0 -37 Pre-tax profit £M 6.0 9.4 9.9 5 Staff n/a n/a n/a n/a Net assets £M 66.4 73.7 58.6 -20 thE ratiOS 2013 2014 2015 % chaNgE Return on capital % 9.1 12.7 16.9 32 Gross margin % 8.2 9.5 8.0 -15 Operating margin % 2.4 3.9 2.2 -43 Net margin % 3.9 5.8 5.6 -5 Sales/employee £K n/a n/a n/a n/a

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