TEN staff at one of Hampshire's leading private companies are among 123 who have loyally worked for the same firm for more than 25 years.

Patrick Trant, the chairman of multi-disciplinary contractor Trant Engineering, paid individual tribute to each of the latest award recipients in front of 100 colleagues and guests.

Talking of all the long-servers, he said: "Our retention rate is second to none - I challenge any company in our sector to equal our record."

Referring to the company's projected annual turnover of up to £140 million, Patrick added: "It is a credit to past and present staff that we have stayed strong while other firms have fallen by the wayside. As a business we are performing well."

Trant Engineering, now in its 58th year and founded by the late Philip Trant on the Waterside, near Southampton, employs more than 900 people across the UK and overseas.

Long-service awards have been held by the firm since 1988, including 19 employees who have recorded 40 years or more.

The 'Terrific Ten' to receive 25-year accolades are general foreman Eddie Biddlecombe, senior project manager Jerry Burch, general foreman Tim Burch, logistics manager Dean Cutt, QS Sarah Franklin, project manager Steve Gray, machine driver Robert Irvine, payroll manager Tracy Mutimear, general foreman Mick Satell and health and safety administrator Leanne Wink.

They started out with Trant Engineering in 1991, when Britain was in the grip of a recession with nearly three million unemployed and the interest rate an eye-watering 15% compared to the current three-centuries low of 0.5%.

Patrick said: "They were seriously tough times. Instead of laying people off, we took a different route to others in our sector and had a freeze on pay and bonuses instead.

"We kept the team together and luckily we did as we came out stronger from the downturn, keeping and developing the best people."

Held at the Best Western Chilworth Manor Hotel in Chilworth, near Southampton, Patrick also paid warm tribute at the event to former employees, recently-retired directors and new directors.

Former staff members who attended included Eamonn Flynn, John Strudwick, June Grace, on behalf of the late Barry Grace, Jimmy Marsden, Jimmy Brannigan and Jimmy Sullivan.

Patrick highlighted how Jimmy Sullivan has the longest association of any staff member, having baby-sat the Trant brothers.

Newly-retired Board directors are Tim Trant, James Trant, Fran Ravizza, Rob Horgan and Kerrie Wallace.

"Their individual and collective contribution over the past three decades has been immense for the business," Patrick said.

Trant Engineering has two new managing directors - Gerard Somers for the UK and Simon Trant for overseas.

New directors in the UK are Tim Bullen for water engineering, Colin Monaghan for petrochemical, Alistair Parker for energy, such as National Grid projects, and Philip Trant for finances.

"They will drive the business forward," said Patrick.

Overseas contracts include the Falklands Islands, where the firm has an office at Port Stanley, the Channel Islands, Ascension Island and, in the Caribbean, the British Virgin Islands and Montserrat.

A contract in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal in the Himalayas, was also announced.

"We have the knowledge and understanding of shipping logistics and, by 2019, the company is looking to have half of its revenues from overseas and the other half in the UK, " Patrick forecasted.