鈥淭esting year鈥 sees steel contractor post 拢7m loss for 2014

Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd has recorded a pre-tax loss of 拢7m for 2014 with former managing director Brian Rogen calling it a 鈥渢esting year鈥.

In the latest accounts posted by the steel specialist for the year ended 31 December 2014, the loss is attributed to one unnamed major contract which 鈥渉ad a harsh effect on profitability鈥.

The firm also suffered a 拢3m pre-tax loss in 2013, but reported that as of December 2014 it had an order book of 拢121m, including the contract for phase 2 of the Sri Lanka Rural Bridges scheme, and expected to return to profitability in 2015.

Cleveland Bridge said it expected the contract would have a 鈥減ositive impact on the company鈥檚 profitability and liquidity going forward鈥 and that it had also picked up a number of new UK contracts.

However, the company reported that the Sri Lanka contract had been delayed and this had impacted on the expected turnover and margin for 2014, which the company reported to be 拢33.4m, 5.4% lower than the 拢35.3m turnover recorded for 2013.

Phase one of the Sri Lanka Rural Bridges contract contributed 48% of the firm鈥檚 turnover for 2014, the firm said, with the remainder coming from the UK.

Cleveland Bridge also forecasted its 2015 turnover to hit 拢55m on the back of growth in the UK and international sales markets and the 鈥渄emise鈥 of competition in the UK bridge sector.

The firm is currently working in the 拢790m Forth Bridge replacement crossing in Scotland.