DJ Laing makes return to black

Carnoustie-based DJ Laing Group has reported a swing back to profit for its civil engineering, housebuilding and recycling operations.

The firm posted a full-year pre-taxprofitof£628,000compared with a loss of £88,000 in the previous 12 months, noting that the rebound had resulted from a “number of key strategic changes” made across its operational activities over the last two years.

In October 2015, the waste processing operations at Gourdie, Dundee, were sold to NWH Group, followed by the sale of the wood processing activities at Petterden, also in Dundee, in May 2017.

The remaining activities within the recycling operations will complement the other areas of the group’s activities, Laing added, allowing the management to focus on its “core strength areas”.

Within the company’s civil engineering division, a decision was made to reduce the level of activity in exchange for focusing on projects which would “improve profitability”.

This has been supplemented by an increased build programme in the house building arm, the group noted, due to increased confidence in the local housing market.

The group’s chairman, David Laing, said: “We are committed to improving the efficiency of our operations that will ensure the long-term future of the group and provide stability for our trusted workforce.”