issue two: may 2009 - Halcrow

King of the roadA-one+ nowEngland’s leadingmotorway maintenance providern unprecedented four contract area wins with the UK’sA Highways Agency has catapulted A-one+ – Halcrow’s jointventure with Colas and Costain – to the position of England’sleading managing agent contractor (MAC).Kicking off in October this year, the £200 million, five-year Area12 project was the latest MAC to be awarded – in March 2009.Encompassing the motorways and trunk roads of Yorkshire, thisincludes stretches of the M1, M62 and M18 motorways, as well as theA1 and A64, both key regional trunk roads.The win means A-one+ now manages 32 per cent of England’smotorway and trunk road network – the maximum market sharepermitted by the Highways Agency. The company’s annual turnoverhas increased to over £200 million and its forward order book hasswelled to over £750 million – distinct reasons to be cheerful in thesetroubled times.The latest coup follows the award of the Area 7 MAC contract earlierthis year. Out of the four Highways Agency area contracts up forgrabs in 2009, A-one+ bid for three and scooped two. As the executivedirector for Halcrow’s transportation group, Geoff Brown, noted:“For any organisation to win one major MAC commission is a hugeachievement, but to win two contracts of this size in one bidding roundis unheard of in the industry.”The Highways Agency has declared the sections for which A-one+ isresponsible to be some of the most challenging, heavily trafficked andcomplex in the network. As the MAC, A-one+ will plan, design andconstruct all maintenance schemes up to a value of £500,000 in thefour areas. It will also design and supervise motorway and trunk roadimprovement and renewal projects up to £8 million in value.Contractor of the year“A-one is fast becomingthe benchmark to adopt forits pioneering approachand innovation.”Highways Magazine on namingA-one contractor of the year 200810Vox | issue two