A WORLD-FAMOUS bridge builder has seen profits rise again after a catalogue of lucrative contracts augmented a management turnaround, The Northern Echo can reveal.

Cleveland Bridge UK has seen annual profits increase to £4m – a growth of £1.5m on its previous 12 months.

The successes mean the Darlington-based operator has now registered two successive years of profit, and come after a 2015 senior reshuffle aimed at halting a series of losses under a previous regime.

It has also secured a number of domestic and international projects for this year and next year, with bosses forecasting turnover to rise by £15m to around £60m in 2018.

Earlier this year, the Echo exclusively revealed the business had made the longest steel bridge girder structures in its history for an Aberdeen transport project.

The company, which employs in excess of 300 people, including 23 apprentices, has also invested in production line equipment to improve manufacturing as it seeks to meet growing demand.

Chris Droogan, managing director at the business, which has also returned to the building structures and bridge services markets, said it is poised for further growth, highlighting the impact of changes to operations and increased support for its workforce.

He said: “The focus and ability of the new management team, supported by our talented, skilled and dedicated workforce has enabled the business to not only achieve a second successive year of profit, but deliver a significant increase.

“The investments we have made in our facilities, equipment, processes and people are ensuring that Cleveland Bridge UK can successfully continue an engineering legacy of 200 years, which has seen the company achieve a global reputation across six continents.

“We are well-placed to benefit from continued infrastructure investment in domestic and international markets, which will enable the company to strengthen its market share and underpin profit and growth expectations.”

Since its inception, Cleveland Bridge has built some of the world’s most iconic structures.

The group was involved in erecting the Victoria Falls Bridge, which spans the River Zambesi, in Southern Africa, and in 1911 designed Middlesbrough’s Transporter Bridge.

It has also supplied bridges for the A1 project, which is widening the route between Barton and Leeming, in North Yorkshire, and the Echo also previously revealed it would send crossings to Sri Lanka, to replace rope and bamboo structures.