Redhall enjoys nuclear success

ENGINEERING services firm Redhall has secured a £3.2m contract from the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing facility.

The Wakefield-based company announced its success as it posted pre-tax profits up by 33% for the first half.

However the firm also confirmed its dispute with Vivergo Fuels over work at the new biofuels plant at Saltend.

Earlier this month Redhall announced the appointment of former AMEC executive Richard Shuttleworth as its new chief executive.

David Jackson, chairman and chief executive of Redhall, said: “We are pleased to be showing improvement on last year’s results; however, I firmly believe that the Group still has potential for further progression.

“We are delighted to have recruited Richard Shuttleworth as group chief executive. His extensive industry knowledge and experience will be invaluable to Redhall.”

The Sellafield contract will see Redhall working in the “high hazard” area of the site in Cumbria starting next month.

Turnover at Redhall fell from £64.3m to £59.9m for the six months to the end of March although the previous year’s figure included £11.9m of turnover relating to the Vivergo contract.

In his statement to shareholders, Mr Jackson said that adjudications it had secured in its dispute with Vivergo had so far produced “minimal cash awards”.

“We are surprised that Vivergo continues to adopt a defensive stance notwithstanding the adjudication verdicts.  While our preferred route is for a negotiated settlement, we are resigned to resolving this issue through the Courts, if necessary, and this process may take a number of months,” he said.