Construction firm aiming to double its turnover.

Byline: Christopher Knox

A NORTH East construction firm believes it can still double its turnover to pounds 50m as it begins to reap the benefits of being owned by a pounds 1.8bn-a-year parent company.

Ponteland-based Kendall Cross was bought by nationwide construction and housebuilding group Galliford Try in November 2007, and now believes it is about to enter a period of rapid growth after rebranding to Galliford Try Partnerships North.

The firm, which employs 140 workers in the North East, has begun to expand into some of its new owner's key markets, including civil engineering, facilities management and renewables.

It also plans to create around 60 jobs over the next two years as it pushes on with the expansion plans, which will also involve more work in speculative housing developments in the region.

The firm is currently working on a number of large-scale developments in the North East and said that 55% of its targeted workload was already secure for the year ending July 2010.

It is currently working on a number of lucrative schemes, including a pounds 3.5m contract to refurbish the Leazes Wing at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, which it said could increase in value as work progresses.

It is also working on a number of affordable housing schemes, and has over a year's worth of work in its books from Your Homes Newcastle - worth pounds 5m.

The company has also recently worked at the Ouseburn Farm in Byker, as well as a pounds 1m refurbishment of Monkwearmouth Station in Sunderland and new student accommodation at Stepney Lane in Newcastle.

Neil Ramsey, managing director of Galliford Try Partnerships North, said: "Becoming part of Galliford Try was a superb opportunity to expand the company and has provided stability and sustainability to our staff.

"In the past few years we've seen many good companies go to the wall for a number of reasons and, as a board, we were determined that this would not happen to Kendall Cross.

"Obviously there are a number of issues affecting the industry at the moment, with private housing development still at a standstill.

"However, with the resources of a major construction and housebuilding hybrid company behind us, we can offer clients so much more, whether this be land, investments, joint ventures or whatever else is required to facilitate their scheme."