Supermarket Deals Are Concrete Success

Northern Ireland-based concrete products manufacturer, Acheson & Glover is tapping into a lucrative new market in Great Britain for supermarket construction, with a number of substantial contract just signed.

The company has secured a contract for a new Sainsbury's supermarket valued at £25 million at Welwyn Garden City in London for Bowmer & Kirkland, the latest in a number of supermarket contracts awarded to Acheson & Glover by leading companies such as Sainsbury's, Tesco and Asda.

"This is an emerging new market for Acheson & Glover, with anticipated project values to customers in the UK in excess of £800 million over the course of the next six months," said Divisional Sales Manager Tim Butler.

"The work centres largely around car parking schemes, precast hollowcore flooring, lift shafts and stairs and we are winning these contracts because of our commitment to the key areas of price, quality and technical services - including our ability to provide efficient, cost effective design solutions," said Tim.

"We also have a unique portfolio that allows us to provide multiple products on site to the end user.

"On a number of the contracts we have been able to provide specific design solutions and additional products such as blocks and acoustic blocks as well as services such as hard landscape paving products."

The latest Sainsbury's contract at Welwyn Garden City involves supplying 15,000m2 of 100/150mm concrete planks flooring on three levels including a high load yard area designed to take fully loaded articulated lorries.

The company will also be supplying stairs for the building from basement to first floor in the scheme which involves demolition of the existing store and several tenanted retail units to make way for the new showcase store at the heart of Welwyn Garden City.

Work has already started on the project with Acheson & Glover commencing on site in February.

Previous substantial supermarket schemes have included providing precast lift shafts, stairs and Double Tee flooring units specifically designed to support articulated lorries for contractor, Taylor Woodrow at a new Tesco store in Havant in Hampshire and a contract to supply pre cast stairs for an Asda superstore in Melksham, Wiltshire.

"We are currently in negotiations with a number of leading contractors for new superstores across the whole of the UK which will be commencing in the New Year," said Tim.

(CD/BMcC)