• Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

North East Connected

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SES Engineering Services appointed to Major Research Centre Development

The north east office of leading national engineering specialist, SES Engineering Services (SES), has announced its appointment to provide mechanical and electrical (M&E) installations for a world-leading research centre in Gateshead with a new contract win valued at £3m.

Working on behalf of one of the region’s largest private sector employers, Akzo Nobel, SES is due to start on site this month on the delivery of a new £10.7m cryogenic facility, warehouse and protective coatings applications and testing laboratory.  The refurbishment of the existing Expert Capability Group (ECG) building to create new wet paint laboratories and office space for up to 90 people also forms part of SES’ remit.

SES was selected to undertake the work because of its experience of working successfully on live sites and within process-driven environments.

The SES team will be working closely on the project with construction, infrastructure and support services company, Robertson CE Ltd.

Detailed communication and regular progress meetings will be essential to ensure all work is completed smoothly and without disruption to production schedules at the coatings specialist’s Gateshead site.  Speaking about the project, where more than 100 of the coatings industry’s leading scientists will be brought together and where 950 people are employed, Steve Joyce, SES’ Business Director North, said:

“This is a significant project for the region and one which has major implications for the coatings industry, so we are delighted to have been appointed. Our approach when undertaking a project of this type has synergy with the client’s process-driven approach to manufacturing.  I believe this, coupled with our many years of working with major contractors such as Robertson CE will ensure we successfully deliver the sophisticated building services necessary to meet the needs of the client particularly in relation to the facility’s R&D function. ”

Garry Hope, Regional Managing Director, Robertson CE Ltd, said:

“We are delighted to be able to support Akzo Nobel in creating a new facility which will not only provide the company with a state-of-the-art facility for its present operations but also create extra capacity for future expansion. Working alongside SES, which is a leader in building services engineering gives me the greatest of confidence and I look forward to their arrival on site later this month.”

The investment in this state-of-the-art laboratory is further demonstration of the strength of the chemical sector in the north east of England. Once complete and operational in mid-2018, the protective coatings facility will contribute to product efficiency in the most critical of global industries. These include sectors such as energy, mining, infrastructure and oil and gas industries where the utmost protection for steel and concrete structures is required to prevent damage caused by corrosion, abrasion and fire.

By Emily