Executive Summary
With its motto of "Plan, Design, Enable", Atkins is a UK market-leading multi-disciplinary consultant, with a growing presence in the Middle East. It is the largest engineering consultancy in the UK [1] , the largest multi-disciplinary consultancy in Europe and the world's fifth largest global design firm. [2] Atkins had its origins in civil and structural engineering design and has, since then, expanded its portfolio of skills to span the Engineering, Infra structure and Construction Services markets. It now prides itself on providing engineering, design, planning, IT services, environmental services, project management, property and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment to public, private and regulated clients/end-markets. The firm has over 17,000 professionals worldwide based in 125 offices in 25 countries.
For the year ended 31 March 2008, Atkins had an annual turnover, excluding JVs, of £1.31 billion and operating profit of £86.7 million (6.7% margin).
Company History
The original company, WS Atkins & Partners was initiated in 1938 by Sir William Atkins with offices in Westminster. In its early years, the practice specialised in civil and structural engineering design work but this expanded after WWII into specialist services in town planning, engineering sciences, architecture and project management. Key events in the Company's development include: [3]
- Mid-1980s - Sir William Atkins retired as head of the firm. At that time, the company became increasingly involved in the wave of privatization and outsourcing moves of the 1980s. The company was also restructured splitting into 2 separate entities, with WS Atkins's employees were given a major stake in WS Atkins Consultants.
- 1989 - Death of the founder, William Atkins.
- 1994 - Atkins made an attempt to go public in 1994 but this was placed on hold due to weak conditions in the IPO market.
- Mid-1990s - Atkins began competing not just for consultancy contracts, both in the United Kingdom and increasingly abroad, but also to compete for full-service contracts through its involvement in the Private Finance Initiative (e.g. it won a prison contract in Wales with partners Securicor and Costain).
- 1995 - Michael Jeffries, an architect, was named CEO
- 1996 - The company floated on the London Stock Exchange and began trading as WS Atkins plc.
- Late 90s - The company began a series of acquisitions, including: Faithful+Gould in 1996, a leading practice…
