Stanley-based Hodgson Sayers has won a dream contract providing new roofing for Palatine Beds Limited.
The building and roofing specialist was successful in securing the £1.5 million contract to carry out the work on behalf of Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) which manages Westerhope-based Palatine Beds. The roof replacement also includes the installation of solar photovoltaic panels and is one of the largest single roofing schemes YHN has carried out.
As a supported business, 70% of Palatine Beds’ workforce has some form of disability and it works closely with local councils to help people gain and maintain employment.
Managing director at Hodgson Sayers, John Sayers, said: “We have a long standing relationship with Your Homes Newcastle and through a tender process we were successful in winning the work on this extensive re-roofing project which spans 11,000 square metres.
“Work has been very much in block stages and commenced in September 2014 when we started stripping asbestos cement sheets. Areas of the factory were sealed off whilst air tests were conducted before a new double skin metal cladding roofing system replaced the existing roof covering.
“Your Homes Newcastle wanted to provide the building with an eco-friendly structure and, as such, work was split into seven zones with four of the zones featuring a new 218 KWp solar photovoltaic system. The energy efficiency of the building will be dramatically improved and solar PVs will subsidise the factory power requirements ensuring a real return on investment and an environmental enhancement with much improved aesthetics.
“It has been a pleasure to work on a project that will help to sustain the future of the building and provide the company with a cost-effective energy saving roofing infrastructure. We liaised closely with the project manager at Palatine Beds to ensure minimum disruption to the day-to-day running of the factory.”
Kevin Scott, property services manager at Your Homes Newcastle, said: “Replacing the roof at the Palatine Beds factory gave us a real chance to make some improvements to the efficiency of the building. Installing solar panels will allow us to make significant savings on our gas and electricity bills, which will result in a clear reduction in our carbon footprint. The double skin roof structure will also reduce heat loss and improve our overall energy efficiency.
“The staff at Hodgson Sayers has been fantastic. It was crucial that during the replacement of the roof, production could continue in the factory and the shop continue to operate as normally as possible. The contractors and the staff at Palatine have worked really well together and shown considerable patience and, as a result, no sales have been lost and the project is now complete.”