A Moira building firm is bucking the trend on the continued slow-down in the construction industry having been awarded a £12 million contract to construct part of the BBC's new Manchester base.
McMullen Architectural Systems will undertake the curtain-walling work at the corporation's new site, which will incorporate a TV and radio centre, as well a 19-floor office building and 16-floor hotel.
Agreed works includes curtain-walling facades from ground to third floors.
Rainscreen cladding and window inserts to the tower areas of the building and ceramic granite rainscreen tiling also form part of the contract.
Work is expected to begin on site in January, when the £12.4m project will be kick-started.
McMullen, an internationally recognised specialist, has doubled turnover in the last two years, working on projects across the UK, Ireland and USA.
The group, who bought out rival Systems Aluminium Ltd earlier this year, has projected a similar success over the next two years, despite unfavourable global economic conditions.
Sales Director Colin Clatworthy said the firm hopes to turnover more than £50m in the UK and Ireland during this period.
"We've had a few projects where they have sent it in for tender and they've cancelled within a couple of days but the enquiry level has stayed reasonably good," said Mr Clatworthy.
"I think we're seeing things like academies and hotels, projects which are going to go ahead anyway, still happening and we're seeing a slowdown in the residential market.
"Even then we have the Obel in Belfast which is going ahead though there is caution and it is slowing down," he added.
Flying in the face of the current industry slow down, the Sales Director said his firm's order book was full for 2009, with projects that would net the business around £45m.
"We have work at this time next year but not sufficient to keep the factory up to full capacity, so we are looking for the autumn from the third quarter on in 2009 but certainly the first three quarters of next year are pretty full," said Mr Clatworthy.
(PR/JM)
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Latest Construction News
22/11/2024
A contract to design the Sandymount Flood Defence Scheme in Dublin has been awarded to Jacobs by the City Council. Sandymount is one of the city areas most vulnerable to coastal flooding and is also, separately, at risk from surface water flooding, i.e. run-off from rainfall. The contract ...
22/11/2024
Northern Ireland construction company Farrans has scooped a Highly Commended All-Ireland Occupational Safety Award. The company's SHE team members Joe Loughan and Ryan Carson attended the recent premier event, which were held in the Great Southern Hotel, Killarney, to be presented with a ...
22/11/2024
A 'Back to the 80s' themed charity ball, which was sponsored by a number of construction companies, has helped raise a record-breaking £118,000 profit for WaterAid. The international charity's event was held recently in Titanic Belfast will all of the funds raised going towards the WaterAid ...
22/11/2024
The M3 Lagan Bridge in Belfast will undergo urgent repair work from Tuesday, November 26, in order to replace damaged joints. As a result of the essential requirement to carry out these works, and to ensure the availability of specialist contractors, a series of lane closures will be in place ...
22/11/2024
Scheduled resurfacing works at the Syndenham bypass in Belfast, which were due to continue this weekend, will now not go ahead and the road will remain open. This comes as a result of a yellow Met office warning put in place for part of Saturday. An overnight closure will remain in place between ...
22/11/2024
Works to improve Kinsale's water supply in County Cork are set to commence next week. The project entails the replacement of over 500 metres of old watermains that are prone to frequent bursts and leakage with new modern pipes. The works will be carried out by Ward and Burke Construction Ltd on ...
22/11/2024
The first phase of sewer relining works on the Shore Road in Belfast has been successfully completed ahead of schedule by contractor Murphy Dawson WAM, NI Water has announced. As a result, the road has now fully reopened earlier than anticipated. The work to date has seen over half a kilometre of ...
22/11/2024
Leakage reduction works and water supply improvements to homes and businesses in Dublin 2 have been completed. The works, which were carried out on behalf of Uisce Éireann by GMC Utilities Group Ltd, involved the replacement of 180 metres of ageing water pipes between the junction of D'Olier ...
22/11/2024
CRH member company Roadstone has completed a major plant and equipment investment at its quarry, aggregates, and concrete products sites in the Republic of Ireland. The equipment – supplied to them by Komatsu and Metso distributors in Ireland, McHale Plant Sales – included Komatsu WA475 and WA600 ...
22/11/2024
A new member has been added to the Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) for Architecture and the Built Environment for Northern Ireland. Mrs Suzanne McCoy has been announced as the latest MAG addition by Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA, and will begin her role from December 1, 2024 until ...