IT WAS in July 1999 when Grahame Pettit and Kevin Lendon were appointed by the construction group Benson to launch a division in the south.

Working from temporary offices in Southampton, the new directors were determined to create a professional team to challenge the established building companies that serviced the region.

Five years on, the joint managing directors of Benson South are based at smart offices at Hedge End with 69 personnel who are celebrating a significant contract.

A negotiated project to provide new facilities at the Hamble Community Sports College, worth £2.8m, means that they have reached £100m of contracts in just five years.

The deal is the 110th for the division, with contracts ranging from £44,000 to £6.8m.

Grahame said: 'We are naturally delighted with the achievement.

"But much of the pleasure of the achievement is down to the large number of clients who award Benson second and third contracts thanks to our on-time and within-budget quality projects."