THE world's largest design and engineering consultancy is showing its confidence in Croydon by expanding its local operation.
AECOM, which employs just under 300 people, took over an extra floor of its base at Sunley House, in Bedford Park, Croydon, last Friday.
Richard Robinson, managing director of Civil Infrastructure Europe, Middle East and Africa, said the expansion provided an extra 100 to 120 desks.
Over the past six months, 80 new professional staff have joined AECOM's team in Croydon.
The opening ceremony was performed by the Mayor of Croydon, Manju Shahul Hameed, who was presented with a £200 cheque from the firm for her charities, Age UK and Macmillan Cancer.
AECOM has been associated with Croydon for 50 years and the present office is home to a range of experts who are working on a number of major infrastructure and design projects in the UK, including Crossrail, HS2 and Thames Water's £635 million Lee tunnel.
The company is also involved in a number of other large-scale ventures across Europe, the Middle East and Far East.
Mr Robinson, who has been in the post for three years, said the company was already the number one design and engineering consultancy in the United States and Australia, adding the growth in Croydon was helping cement its dominant position in the UK.
He said: "We are working on the majority of the large programmes like HS2 and Crossrail out of Croydon.
"I have been very impressed with the staff we have there, it is a very good operation."
It is this skills base which has been one of the factors encouraging AECOM to decide to expand its Croydon base.
Mr Robinson said: "We have confidence in Croydon.
"It is a great location with its transport links to London and is also well located for the M25.
"That enables us to provide a more cost-effective service."
One thing the company is looking at is ensuring it can meet the demand for a hi-tech service.
Mr Robinson said: "Our projects require an advanced use of technology and we are working on ensuring our Croydon office gets the very high-speed broadband connections it needs.
"If you are going to have the ability to support jobs you have got to be able to be work internationally."
