A CONSTRUCTION firm employing scores of North-East workers says its order book is flat as it continues to look to make savings.

Balfour Beatty, which has offices in Newcastle, says its UK construction business is focused on making overhead reductions and supply chain savings, with regional business lowering its work on smaller contracts.

It added average net debt for the nine months to the end of September was £477m.

However, it expects that to fall to about £400m for the full year after the sale of its professional services division Parsons Brinckerhoff to WSP Global.

A report, covering the third quarter period to November 17, said: “The order book stood at £11.7bn, flat on the half-year.

“The UK construction business continues to prioritise actions including further overhead reductions and additional supply chain savings, with the regional business reducing its exposure to smaller contracts and number of delivery units.

“The order book at the half year has been re-stated from the reported £13bn to £11.7bn from continuing operations, to take account of the Parsons Brinckerhoff disposal.

The construction services order book increased to £7.9bn, driven largely by an increase in the US, predominantly due to foreign exchange movements, and by contracts in the UK announced in the period.

“This growth was offset by an expected reduction in the support services order book to £3.7bn.”

Balfour previously helped build the £269m London Olympic Games swimming centre.