Keller Group plc (“Keller” or “the Group”), the international ground engineering specialist, announces five prestigious contract wins in North America in the last quarter of 2004.

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Goldman Sachs HQ and Trump International Hotel and Tower

Case has been awarded the foundation contracts for two landmark building projects in New York and Chicago. The $12.6m (£6.7m) contract to install caisson foundations for the new Goldman Sachs headquarters building in Lower Manhattan is scheduled to begin in February and to be completed in six months. In Chicago, Case will provide foundations and excavation support for the new Trump International Hotel and Tower. This 92-storey skyscraper will take its place on the Chicago skyline beside many other landmarks, such as the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Building which are also founded on caissons built by Case. The $17.2m (£9.1m) Trump contract is expected to be completed by autumn 2005.

Tunnel-related projects in Los Angeles

Hayward Baker has won two significant tunnel-related projects in Los Angeles, where the company has a solid track record of performance on similar projects. The $10.2m (£5.4m) Lower North Outfall Sewer Rehabilitation contract is for the provision of specialty grouting services to stabilise the soil above an existing sewer tunnel for the City of Los Angeles. The project is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2005 and to be completed in mid-2006. Hayward Baker will provide similar services for twin underground tunnels under construction for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. This $9.4m (£5m) contract has just begun and should be completed by the end of 2005. Both contracts are similar to the many underground tunnel stabilisation projects performed by Hayward Baker throughout North America.

Florida project uses LCM technology for first time in USA

Hayward Baker was also recently awarded an $11.6m (£6.2m) contract for soil stabilisation by the Florida Department of Transportation. This project is Keller’s first application in the US of the dry soil mixing technology acquired by the Group through the acquisition of LCM in Sweden. The technology will be used to stabilise extremely soft and wet soils next to the existing US Route 1 in South Florida. The stabilised soil will serve as a foundation for a roadway embankment, so allowing the only road serving the Florida Keys to be widened from two to four lanes. Work is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2005 and to be completed by the year end.

Justin Atkinson, Keller’s Chief Executive, commenting on the contract wins said:

“The last quarter of 2004 saw a robust order intake for the Group. In particular, these five contract awards, with a total value of around $61m (£32.4m) mean that our US business enters the New Year with a record order book, while the current order book for the Group as a whole now represents over four months’ sales.”

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