Savant ups turnover by 50%

Savant, the London-based construction consultant, has increased turnover by 50% during the first half of 2006. The firm has achieved sales of Euros8.5m for the first half of this year, which is up 53% compared to the same period in 2005.

The firm was established in 2003 and already employs 305 staff. It won the QS News award last year for best international achievement after making inroads into Central and Eastern Europe.

Principal David Whitehouse said the firm was working on a number of overseas schemes. These include a 3,500-home development in Bucharest, Romania called The Peninsula, the $160m Ritz Carlton in Moscow and the $250m stadium for FC Shakhtar in Ukraine.

Whitehouse said the firm was mulling further international expansion in the East, including venturing into China. This could be achieved through acquisitions, he said.

Savant expanded rapidly after setting up two offices in Russia and one in the Czech Republic. Further offices have followed in these two countries and also Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria and Romania..

Whitehouse put the company’s success down to its directors, who each have 10 to 15 years experience.

He said the results for the first part of 2006 showed the company was exceeding its targets. Savant was aiming for 13.8m in turnover for 2006 and it has already achieved 60% of that in the first six months of the year.

Projects the firm is working on include:

1) SABMiller (formerly known as South-African Breweries). Two major brewery expansion projects in the Czech Republic and Russia. These are the Pilsner Urquell plant in Pilsen, the Czech Republic, where the works are scheduled to finish this autumn and a brewery in Kaluga, Russia, completed last month. The total investment on these two sites is around $350m.

2) Ritz Carlton, Moscow. New build 5-star hotel located just off Red Square, valued at $160m and scheduled to open by the end of this year. Savant is providing project management, construction management and cost management.

3) Pushkino Logistics Park, Russia. A $150m logistics park, designed to international standards, will be completed in October this year. Savant’s services include construction and site management for client Toros Group.

4) The Freemans building. A £40m mixed-use (residential & commercial) development on Clapham Road, London. Savant is providing cost management to the developer Garbe.