DESIGNERS in Wiltshire have left their mark on the world. Staff at Halcrow Group were behind the elegant Second Severn Crossing, which provided another link between England and South Wales.

Now they have just seen another design, the world's longest swing bridge, open across the Suez Canal.

The bridge project, at El Ferden, north of Ismailia, was declared complete by President Mubarak of Egypt.

There for the ceremony was project manager Nick Fuchs, who led a team of principal technical advisors for the five-year construction.

Mr Fuchs said: "Seeing 13,200 tons of bridge swinging silently and smoothly to create a link across one of the world's most important waterways is a truly spectacular sight."

Halcrow, the Chiseldon-based civil engineering and consultancy group, believes its future is bright.

On the back of projects like the Severn and Suez crossings, it is now looking for up to 60 specialists to work on developments around the world.

All this fits into the company's five-year expansion plan which has already brought staff numbers in Swindon to a record 550, with a global figure of 3,100 forecast to rise to 5,000.

Company spokesman Garry Whitaker said: "We are recruiting across the group and at present are actively looking for up to 60 civil, rail and bridge engineers for projects around the world.

"In the UK, we have about 2,000 people engaged in various projects involving transport, water, property and buildings and management consultancy.

"For 2002 major contracts include work for the Port of New York, a drainage master plan in Buenos Aries and an extension to the Eastern Freeway in Victoria, Australia.

"We also have a continuing involvement in the £52bn, 68-mile-long Channel Tunnel rail link project, which links the tunnel to Waterloo and St Pancras stations and will enable trains to reach about 200mph.

"These are very exciting times for Halcrow."

News of the expansion and recruitment programme came hot on the heels of reports that Halcrow had acquired the business interests of the former Enron Energy Services company, TME Torpy Group.

Following successful negotiations with the administrator to the European holding company of the Enron group, all TME Torpy projects and employees were formally transferred to Halcrow.

In all, 120 staff from five locations were transferred.

The scope of work taken on by Halcrow under the arrangement covers mechanical and electrical engineering, facilities management and project and property management, with specialist experience in energy and environmental consultancy relating to buildings.

David Kerr, Halcrow Group board director responsible for property business, said: "We're delighted to have been successful in our bid for TME Torpy's business.

"This is an exceptionally good move for us because of the strategic fit of the new business with our own."

Halcrow Group specialises in the provision of professional planning, design and management services for infrastructure development worldwide.