Atkins (company)

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Atkins (WS Atkins plc)
Type PLC - A member of FTSE 250
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
Products Consultancy services
Revenue £1,639.9m (2006/07, inc. Joint Ventures)
Net income £199.1m (2006/07)
Employees 16,824
Website www.atkinsglobal.com

Atkins is a professional services firm providing engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services. Formerly known as WS Atkins, it was founded in 1938 by Sir William Atkins. Atkins employs approximately 17000 staff based in 125 offices in 25 countries. Projects have been undertaken in more than 150 countries. In 2006-7, Atkins had an annual turnover in excess of £1.6 billion (including Joint Ventures).

Atkins is the largest engineering consultancy in the UK, ­ the largest multi-disciplinary consultancy in Europe and the world's fifth largest global design firm [1].

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[edit] History

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 cost and project management consultancy firm; 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. In 2007, Atkins announced the sale of Lambert Smith Hampton.

[edit] Structure

[edit] Highways and Transportation

Atkins is the UK’s largest provider of highway and transport solutions.[1] Services include: transport planning studies and advice; design and site supervision activities; and network management and maintenance. Principal clients include the Highways Agency and local authorities in the UK.

[edit] Design and Engineering Solutions

Design and Engineering Solutions client sectors include water & environment, energy (incorporating oil & gas, nuclear and power), defence, aviation and airports, among others.

[edit] China and the Middle East

In China, Atkins focuses on urban planning and design and architecture services. In the Middle East, Atkins provides services such as highways, rail and oil & gas in the Gulf Co-operation Council countries and beyond. Atkins has global design capability in both the Middle East and India.

[edit] Rail

Atkins is the largest UK based international rail consultancy and provide rail engineering services predominantly to the UK market.[1] Atkins Rail also operate in Scandinavia and the Far East, specifically in signalling; telecommunications; electrification and plan; 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 geotechnical and tunnelling services for the Gautrain Link in South Africa. Atkins is undertaking a multidisciplinary design consultancy for the centre west section of Crossrail (Royal Oak to Farringdon) in a joint venture with Arup.

[edit] Management and Project Services

Management and Project Services 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.[1] Management Consultants provide 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 focusing on niche markets such as the UK Ministry of Defence and private sector clients.

[edit] Equity Investments

Atkins also holds equity investments in PPP/PFI joint ventures.

The equity investments segment formerly included Lambert Smith Hampton as a wholly owned subsidiary of Atkins, providing commercial property services. LSH completed a management buy out in late 2007. Atkins was also part of the Metronet consortium, which is contracted with London Underground Limited for the repairs, refurbishment and modernisation of two thirds of the London Underground network.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d New Civil Engineer Consultants File, 2006

[edit] External links

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