THE Teesside operations of John Mowlem and company have helped the business to a 30 per cent rise in interim profits.

The company saw pre-tax profits rise to £11.8m in the six months to June 30.

Mowlem has an order book of £1.8bn, a rise of 36 per cent on the same period of 2000.

One of the major projects in which it has been involved this year has been the redevelopment of South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

The joint venture with Crown House Engineering is bringing the trust's three existing hospitals together on one site under a £160m Private Finance Initiative scheme.

Mowlem businesses Johnston Construction and Mowlem Water Engineering are refurbishing and modernising a sewage treatment works on the River Tees for Northumbrian Water.

The North-East building business has also won a £1.3m contract to refurbish a 700-space car park in Middlesbrough.

Mowlem chief executive, John Gains, said: "The group has made excellent progress in the first half, further strengthening our construction and services portfolio and improving profits through organic growth and strategic acquisition."