AWF Madison slows

AWF Madison Group, the country’s biggest contract labour firm, said profit in the first half ending September 30 would fall, after labour hiring weakened in the second quarter. The Auckland- based company reported a profit of $ 3.9 million in the first half of its 2016- 17 year. Chief executive Simon Bennett yesterday said: “We still anticipate a good year end result.” But profit as at September 30 would be behind the previous year. “Volumes are down in AWF owing to a number of factors: some lower margin business has been discontinued . . . at the same time a decline in construction activity and the wet winter has reduced chargeable hours from AWF’s construction and civil clientele . . . Whilst demand for trades is strong, this is largely being met by AWF’s migrant workforce channel, which has been slower to mobilise than planned.”