The order book for the company, which employs over 27,000 staff, stands at £8.4billion, up from £5.6 billion last year.

Highlights for the company this year, include completing the acquisition in Australasia of Barclay Mowlem, and the appointment of the CLM consortium – of which Laing O’Rourke is a member – as delivery partner to the London Olympic Delivery Authority for 2012 Games.

Ray O’Rourke, chairman and chief executive, said
“We have delivered exceptional growth across the group, which we have reinvested into our strategic vision of developing human capital, investing in new construction methodologies and growing our Explore Capital business.”

Iain Ferguson, group finance director added:  “Our group order book is strong across all key areas of the business, with some 86% of next year’s revenues accounted for, while we continue to forecast significant levels in the order book two or more years out.”