Support services group profits increase to £16.6m after takeover of Peterhouse Group in the summer.

Support services company Babcock International has announced a 77% increase in pre-tax profit for the six months to September 30, with turnover increasing 13% to £243 million.

Babcock is confident the upward trajectory will continue after buying infrastructure services company Peterhouse Group PLC in the summer. As a result it expects further growth in its rail and network businesses over the next year. It also predicts growth in its defence services contracts in the medium-term.

Babcock said contracts for the refurbishment of a power station in Libya and other projects in southern Africa helped lift turnover in the engineer and plant services division by 13%.

Chief executive Peter Rogers said: “Management of Babcock and the former Peterhouse business deserve credit for delivering a strong result despite the considerable distractions of the bid.”