Construction company Hinkins & Frewin is celebrating after scooping orders worth more than 40m this year, writes David Duffy.

Key projects for the firm, which has its headquarters in Botley Road, Oxford, include a new 8m hotel for Forte, at the Pear Tree roundabout, Oxford.

Other major contracts include a 6m school in West Wycombe for Buckinghamshire County Council and a 4Tm project to build ranges for the National Rifle Association and the National Small-Bore Rifle Association at Bisley for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Managing director John Dance said the company, which employs more than 200 people in Oxfordshire, had a solid first half of the year and had continued to strengthen its regional position.

He said: "Our approach is very much client-focused. By working closely with clients, particularly during the project planning stage, we are overcoming the traditional adversarial approach of our industry, and delivering a better result for our clients.

"Our objective is to provide true best value, and an increasing proportion of our business is repeat, or referred, which underlines the strength of our strategy."

The performance of the company contributed to a strong set of half year results released by its parent company Morgan Sindall.

For the six months to June 30, the group, which operates a national network of construction and housing firms, announced turnover of 289m, up 31 per cent on the same period last year. Pre-tax profit was 6.47m, against 6.39m.