WS Atkins PLC
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| Atkins (WS Atkins plc) | |
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| Type of Company | PLC - A member of FTSE_250 |
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| Founded | 1938 by Sir William Atkins |
| Headquarters | Epsom, United Kingdom, Offices in 25 countries |
| Key people | Ed Wallis, Chairman Keith Clarke, Chief Executive |
| Industry | Construction and business services |
| Revenue | More than £1 billion (2005/06) |
| Employees | 15000+ |
| Slogan | Plan, design, enable |
| Website | www.atkinsglobal.com |
Atkins is a professional services firm providing engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. Formerly known as WS Atkins, it was founded in 1938, by Sir William Atkins. The firm (and its associated practices around the world) now has more than 15000 staff based in 125 offices in 25 countries. Projects have been undertaken in more than 150 countries. In 2005-06, Atkins had an annual turnover in excess of £1 billion (US$1.8bn).
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[edit] Outline
Atkins is the largest engineering consultancy in the UK, the largest multi-disciplinary consultancy in Europe and the world's third largest global design firm. The original company, WS Atkins & Partners, was established in 1938 by Sir William Atkins with offices in Westminster, London. In its early years the practice specialised in civil and structural engineering design work which expanded rapidly after the Second World War into specialist services in town planning, engineering sciences, architecture and project management.
In 1996 WS Atkins was admitted to the London Stock Exchange and began trading as WS Atkins plc. Since that time, the group has acquired a number of companies, including Faithful+Gould, a leading practice of cost consultants and quantity surveyors; Ventron Technology, a specialist process plant contractor; Lambert Smith Hampton, a major property and commercial agency; McCarthy's Consulting Engineers in the Republic of Ireland; Boward Computer Services; and Hanscomb Inc in May 2002. More recent acquisitions have included oil and gas services engineers MSL Engineering Limited and MSL Services Corp and Swedish masterplanning and design practice Novaplan AB.
Atkins is divided into seven business segments, comprising Highways and Transportation, Rail, Design and Engineering Solutions, China and the Middle East, Management and Project Services, Asset Management and Equity Investments.
[edit] Business Sectors
[edit] Design and Engineering Solutions
Atkins is one of the world’s largest multi-discipline design and engineering consultants with a focus on high-value engineering and innovative building design. Atkins has been responsible for a number of high profile projects around the globe,
[edit] Rail
Atkins is the largest UK based international rail consultancy and provide high value rail engineering services, predominantly to the UK market but also operate in Scandinavia and the Far East include signalling, telecommunications, electrification and plant, civils and rolling stock. Atkins also provides specialist services to the rail industry in the areas of property, transport planning, environmental management, human factors and asset management. Atkins are providing design programme management and detailed design services for the Dubai Metro and a section of the Crossrail project, and geotechnical and tunnelling services for the Gautrain Link in South Africa.
[edit] Highways and Transportation
Atkins is the UK’s largest provider of highway and transport solutions and offers unrivalled knowledge of the highways and transportation sector and a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions to meet public and private sector needs. Services range from front end transport planning studies and advice, through to comprehensive design and site supervision activities, and fully integrated network management and maintenance. Principal clients include the Highways Agency and local authorities in the UK.
[edit] China and the Middle East
In the Middle East, Atkins has established a strong brand in the building design market with a significant number of high quality architectural building projects. Atkins also provides services across a range of Atkins’ core business areas such as highways, rail and oil & gas serving the local market in the Gulf Co-operation Council countries and beyond. In China, Atkins is focused on responding to the dramatic urban development taking place by providing urban planning, design and architecture services. Atkins has a global design capability in both the Middle East and in Bangalore, India.
[edit] Management and Project Services
This encompasses a range of activities delivering project, cost and programme management, IT and management consultancy in both the public and private sector. Faithful+Gould is the world's second largest project and cost consultancy operating in the transport property and industry sectors. Management Consultants provide a wide range of management and IT consultancy services including: programme and project management, change management, performance improvement, strategy and planning and IT solutions.
[edit] Asset Management
Atkins provides independent facilities management services to the public and private sectors focussing on niche markets such as the UK MoD and selected private sector clients. Atkins business is entirely focused on the UK and includes being part of the team appointed to deliver the and the Future Rapid the UK MoD's Future Rapid Effects System FRES programme.
[edit] Equity Investments
The equity investments segment comprises Lambert Smith Hampton and the Group’s interest in PPP/PFI joint ventures.
Lambert Smith Hampton is a wholly owned subsidiary and operates as a stand alone business within the Atkins Group, providing a valuable brand in the commercial property market. It provides a broad range of commercial property consultancy and transactional services. Its activities include commercial agency and investment advice, valuation services, landlord and tenant advice, property management and building surveying.
Atkins also holds equity investments in a series of joint ventures, the largest of which is Metronet, which is contracted with London Underground Limited for the repairs, refurbishment and modernisation of two thirds of the London Underground network.
[edit] Awards
- Atkins came 11th in Sunday Times 20 Best Big Companies to Work For 2006
- Atkins has topped the league of UK engineering consultancies for the last seven years and has been ranked in the top 10 over the last 12 years (NCE Consultants File 1994-2006).
- Atkins is the world's fifth largest consulting engineering and architectural group by turnover and staff (SFCEA 2005).
- From 1998 to 2005, Atkins has been placed top in Building magazine's Top 200 Consultants survey.
