A CIVIL engineer has revamped operations as bosses seek to build on record orders.

The Owen Pugh Group has set up Owen Pugh Civil Engineering and Owen Pugh Services.

Officials say they will improve customer service by drawing together the company’s varied divisions.

They added the changes come as the organisation, headquartered in Dudley, near Cramlington, Northumberland, starts the new financial year with its strongest order book since being founded 70 years ago.

In the overhaul, the business’ existing Owen Pugh GDC arm will be renamed Owen Pugh Civil Engineering and deliver a variety of projects, from drainage to bulk earthworks and demolition.

Owen Pugh Services will be made up of the firm’s aggregate operation, at Marsden Quarry, South Tyneside, Opal Testing Services, which provides soil testing and site investigation, and the Middlesbrough-based Owen Pugh Drain Services.

It will also include a training section and plant hire and haulage branch.

All operations will continue as individual entities under the new banner.

John Dickson, chairman, said: “The two divisions will help us communicate more clearly the full breadth of service to customers and ensure they work together seamlessly.”

Mr Dickson added the firm expects to announce annual turnover of £37m for 2015/2016, which is expected to increase by around ten per cent in the next year and allow the company to add to its 420-strong workforce.

He added: “Having experienced some challenging times, as a result of the recession and the collapse of major built environment businesses, we’ve seen optimism return and stalled schemes start to get underway.

“We are starting to reap the benefits and are working on projects, from highways schemes to housing developments and industrial projects, right across the region and into North Yorkshire.”