Sweett Group Celebrates Two Years in China

11 July 2012

Sweett Group plc

("Sweett Group" or "the Group")

Sweett Group celebrates two years in China, scoops Green Building Awards

Two years after acquiring Widnell Limited ("Widnell"), Sweett Group, the international property and infrastructure consultancy, is pleased to provide an update on its operations across mainland China and Hong Kong. 

Sweett Group acquired Widnell, China's third largest quantity surveying practice, on 9 July 2010. At the time of the acquisition, Widnell employed some 350 staff across 9 offices in mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong. The acquisition was the largest in Sweett Group's history and the most transformational corporate action since the Group floated on the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) Market in 2007. 

China has become one of the Group's largest markets, with over 600 staff located in 12 offices. The Group's growth in China is reflected in the Asia Pacific order book, which represents over 50% of the Group's total. In addition to China, the Asia Pacific region also includes the Group's operations in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Australia.

Sweett Group's position as a market leader in sustainability-related consultancy services is also being supported by its portfolio of award winning projects in China. Projects under taken by the Group have recently been awarded three separate distinctions by the Hong Kong Green Building Council, including the Grand Award for Buildings Under Construction and Grand Award for Completed Buildings. The awards were presented to the CIC Zero Carbon Building and Siu Sai Wan complex, for both of which the Group has been providing cost management services. 

The CIC Zero Carbon Building is a 1.4 hectare development in central Hong Kong and a show case example of green building design and construction. Various design features such as natural ventilation using wind catchers, high performance facades for solar shading, efficient high volume ceiling fans and under floor air delivery with radiant cooling contribute to an overall energy consumption of some 86kWh/m2/year, representing c. 75% better energy utilisation than comparable buildings.

Kim Berry, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, said:

"I'm very pleased with the pace at which we have integrated the business, a process that has been reinforced by our recent global rebrand, completed through the launch of the Sweett Group brand across Hong Kong and China earlier this year. Operating as one brand now presents our global clients with a single, seamless service, giving us a significant competitive advantage.

"Our ability to transfer expertise from region to region has resulted in a number of successful international cross-selling opportunities. We are supporting existing Asia based clients investing abroad, such as Shangri-la Hotels, for whom we are working on the Shangri-la at the Shard in London, as well as inward investment by the Group's existing clients such as Tesco and Nike, as they look to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by China's vibrant economy. 

"A key area of development for us now is the diversification of our service offering across China, which has traditionally been focused on cost management. Our recent commissions on the Shanghai Tang flagship stores in Hong Kong and Shanghai are great examples of our ability to apply the Group's project management expertise across the region."

- Ends -

For further information:

Sweett Group plc Dean Webster, Chief Executive Officer +44 20 7061 9000Kim Berry, Managing Director, Asia Pacific +852 3166 9107Theo Kjellberg, Group Communications Manager +44 20 7061 9102FTI ConsultingBilly Clegg, Oliver Winters, Latika Shah +44 20 7831 3113

About Sweett Group

Sweett Group plc is a global business with expertise in property and infrastructure professional services. Our services include programme and project management, cost management, advisory and PPP/PFI investment.

We aim to forge long term, successful relationships with all stakeholders in the property and infrastructure industry. "Global knowhow, local delivery" is the essence of our business and our reach enables us to put global best practice to use in the local markets we serve.

Sweett Group operates in China through its twelve offices in Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Guiyang, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Shenyang and Wuhan.

www.sweettgroup.com