Graham Shennan, managing director of the new £1.5bn turnover Morgan Sindall business, told the Enquirer: “We have received a positive response to the idea from all our clients.

“Bringing construction and infrastructure together under the Morgan Sindall name gives us a very robust business and I would back us to gain market share. ”

Shennan said Morgan Sindall was fixed on achieving its goal of being the leader in UK construction and infrastructure.

He also said he remained optimistic about Crossrail and school building work under the new Government.

Shennan said “Crossrail may be slowed down a bit but the project has real momentum, which will continue.”

He also believed school building work will remain a mainstay for contractors.

“There has been a lot of talk about cuts to BSF. I believe school building will go-ahead but in a different fashion.

“There is a lot of work that needs to be done and still a lot of private funding available.”

The newly-branded business boasts a springboard of major infrastructure frameworks secured in recent weeks.

Shennan said he hoped to see further airport contract awards shortly, building on Morgan Sindall’s strong orderbook with BAA.

Utility work, which now accounts for around £250m of group turnover, is expected to rise during the year.

Seven Trent, Welsh and Yorkshire Water have signed Morgan Sindall for Amp 5 work. And last month the firm secured a £400m deal over 10 years with E.ON to replace overhead and underground power lines.

Morgan Sindall’s tunnelling arm is mobilising to start work this year on the £400m Lee Tunnel project in London, awarded by Thames water at the start of the year.

Shennan said that the building side had some notable recent wins and financial close was shortly expected at its £100m Tayside Acute Adult Mental Health Developments PPP.