Insider Media Limited

Infrastructure services provider Hill & Smith Holdings has hailed its "robust" international performance over the past four months.

The Solihull company said this morning it would now focus on its added-value divisions as its UK construction disposal programme was completed.

Hill & Smith sold the last remaining business in its building and construction products division in July to turn its full attention to its infrastructure products and galvanizing services subsidiaries.

In an interim management statement released this morning, the company said it was performing in line with expectations and between July and November had reduced net debt to £110.8m, compared with £113.9m as reported at the half year.

Hill & Smith said its "international diversity" had strengthened the business over the past few months.

The company made a recent acquisition in Scandinavia of road services company ATA and has grown its operations in Australia, the USA and the Middle East. It said this growth had "helped to mitigate the UK downturn".

Hill & Smith also paid respect to David Grove, the recently deceased West Midlands industrialist.

Derek Muir, Hill & Smith's chief executive, said: "As chief executive and latterly chairman, from 1998 until his retirement in 2009, David was the prime driving force behind Hill & Smith Holdings and the architect of the business it is today.

"During that period he drove the expansion and profitable growth of our group, and embedded the entrepreneurial culture that remains at our heart today. Our thoughts are with his family at this very sad time."