18/08/2005

Wembley stadium still on target, builders claim

The Australian firm working on the construction of Wembley Stadium have insisted that it will be ready in time for the FA Cup Final in May, next year.

However, Multiplex have said that they are revising their profit forecast for 2006 to 215 million Australian dollars from an earlier forecast of between A$220 - A$235 million.

The firm’s construction division lost A$62 million in pre-tax profit this year, compared with pre-tax profits of A$73.2 million in 2004. Multiplex said that problems associated with the construction of Wembley Stadium, as well as “unfavourable results” on another UK project, West India Quay had “notably impacted the UK result”.

The firm said that new risk control measures had now been introduced in its construction division.

However, Multiplex said that due to the “residual risks” remaining on the Wembley project, an additional general contingency of $8.6 million had been provided for the year.

Multiplex Group Chief Officer, Andrew Roberts, said: “The result is very disappointing and has been significantly impacted by the substantial losses experienced at Wembley National Stadium. Progress since the introduction of an accelerated works program has been encouraging and we remain on programme to hand over at the end of March 2006. However, despite this, the company has made a further A$8.6 million after tax provision today as a contingency against residual risks that remain until project completion.”

(KMcA/SP)

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