Building contractors William Skinner and Son complete major new projects

BUILDING CONTRACTORS William Skinner & Son of Ayrshire in Scotland and Cambridge in England have had a successful first half of 2008, and are progressing satisfactorily on all fronts.

Last year ended on a high, when combining the expertise and manpower of their Ayrshire headquarters on the perimeter of Prestwick Airport and the new site at Cambridge, Skinners completed a second tree house for UK hotel and conference venue company De Vere at Shirrell Heath near Southampton.

The first tree house that Skinners built for de Vere at their Theobalds Park venue in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire has been a commercial success for the client as an unusual conference and seminar facility.

Skinners also completed major improvements to the new food court and toilets on the first floor of the Kyle Centre in Ayr town centre.

This year has continued William Skinner & Son’s successful progress.

Through Skinners’ membership of Constructionline and Safe Contractor agencies, the company has secured Approved Contractor status with NHS Ayrshire & Arran Health Board. As a result of this, combined with the efficiency of their Estimating Department, three new contracts were won:

* Ailsa Hospital – A £225,000 refurbishment to the existing Crossraguel Ward accommodation, with new suspended ceilings and windows, heating, electrics, floor coverings, asbestos removal and decoration.

* Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock – This £160,000 project involved reconfiguration of the existing Chapel together with adjacent Quiet Room, vestry, toilet, vestibule and Chaplain’s Room. The final refurbished premises provide a high quality multi-denominational Chapel and associated facilities with an adjoining office facility.

* Ayrshire Central Hospital, Irvine – The contract work was situated on the first floor of the listed Horseshoe Building, and involved alterations to and reconfiguration of existing office accommodation, toilets, kitchen and store to form a newly refurbished Community Child Health Clinic with a value of £92,000.

And more hospital work was won outwith Ayrshire in the form of a contract at Southern General Hospital. This was Skinner’s first job with James Clark & Partners Scotland Ltd for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

The investment of £20,000 to form a new small injuries unit within the Accident and Emergency Department will allow staff to analyse quickly their patients needs and carry out treatment in the shortest timescales possible.

From hospitals to schools, and Skinner Construction Division are delighted to have secured their first contract with East Ayrshire Council and have now completed an extension to Dunlop Primary School in the old mill village of Dunlop.

The new £550,000 extension will form new and modern infant and nursery facilities including toilets.

Skinner Construction Division have also completed a comprehensive internal upgrade contract of all the facilities at Dalmilling Primary School in Ayr. This project is valued at £1.2 million. The widespread refurbishment works also included the installation of catering equipment and specialist floor finishes in the gymnasium. Skinners were then awarded an additional single-ply Sika Trocal re-Roofing contract with a value in the region of £150,000. The contract as a whole is the largest Skinners have carried out to date for its own local authority - South Ayrshire Council.

What started as a classroom project at Currie High School in Edinburgh has now became a reality. Renewable energy packages are now being installed at the school to reduce the cost of heating the swimming pool which is used by the school during the day and is let out to the public at nights and weekends. Skinners Renewable Division has been appointed to install a 11kw wind turbine in the grounds of the school.

From schools to the police, and Skinner Construction Division have successfully completed the refurbishment of the Strathclyde Police Headquarters Mail Room at Pitt Street in Glasgow.

This secure accommodation was finished off to a very high standard and involved the manufacture of quality storage and sorting units by Skinner’s in-house bespoke joinery workshops.

The works also involved the installation of new kitchen facilities, doors, ceilings, air-conditioning, armoured glass windows and carpeting.

From police to housing, Skinner Construction Division are working at 42 Queen Mary Avenue in the Crosshill area of Glasgow for Southside Housing Association.

This £313,548 project involved internal alterations and conversion of an existing building to create 5 independent flats, 1 common room and a sleepover room.

And finally, back to shopping centres.

Skinners are carrying out Phase 3 of the refurbishment of the single-ply membrane Trocal roof at Almondvale Shopping Centre.

Land Securities’ commitment to the fabric of their building has seen them allocate funds over a three year period to overlay the existing single ply membrane.

And Skinners are the preferred bidder for a £2 million refurbishment contract The Forge Parkhead in Glasgow. Works include the installation of new ceilings and a complete overhaul of the existing ground floor of this East End shopping centre. The project which coincides with the regeneration of this part of the city and the up and coming 2014 Commonwealth Games will give Skinners an early presence as a main contractor.

William Skinner & Son managing director Sandy Cunningham commented: "I am delighted and proud of the way that every single member of the company is making a substantial contribution to the latest stage of Skinner’s robust and vigorous expansion. This staunch teamwork bodes extremely well for the future prosperity of our business."

NOTE TO EDITORS:

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Further information:

Sandy Cunningham
Managing Director
William Skinner & Son
Cunningham House
Highfield
St Quivox
Ayr KA6 5HQ
Ayrshire, Scotland

Tel: 0845 051 9060
Fax: 01292 671133
E-mail: scunningham@williamskinner.co.uk
Website: www.williamskinner.co.uk

OR:

William Skinner & Son
Southern Office
College Farm Business Centre
North End
Meldreth
Cambridgeshire
SG8 6NT

Tel: 0845 051 9070
Fax: 01763 262916

THE ELITE AYRSHIRE BUSINESS CIRCLE

Building contractors William Skinner and Son are members of The Elite Ayrshire Business Circle.

The Elite Ayrshire Business Circle is a newly formed association of some of the top companies in Ayrshire.

Its purpose is to publicise its members, and to celebrate and promote the rich diversity of industry, commerce and business services available within the county boundaries of Ayrshire.

Members include the Clydesdale Bank, Ayr Racecourse and the Western House Hotel, and member company activities include building and construction, architectural practice, estate agency and land management, chartered accountancy, insurance broking, legal services, golf club management, marketing services and brand creation, web design and public relations consultancy.

The Elite Ayrshire Business Circle runs its own online news magazine, which can be found at http://www.ayrshirebusinessnews.com

As well as regularly updated illustrated articles about member companies, Ayrshire Business News also features rolling news, business and sports headlines, and its own online department store.

For further information about The Elite Ayrshire Business Circle and to apply for membership, e-mail eliteayrshire@gmail.com

Founder members of the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle:

Clydesdale Bank http://www.cbonline.co.uk
Ayr Racecourse http://www.ayr-racecourse.co.uk
Western House Hotel http://www.westernhousehotel.co.uk
CKD Galbraith Property Consultants http://www.ckdgalbraith.co.uk
Frazer Coogans Solicitors http://www.frazercoogans.co.uk
Accident & Injury Claims Centre http://www.accidentclaims.com
MacKay Corporate Insurance Brokers http://www.mackaycorporate-brokers.com
Donald Ross Estate Agents: http://www.donaldross.co.uk
William Skinner & Son Building Contractors http://www.willamskinner.co.uk
Sinclair Scott Chartered Accountants http://www.sinclairscott.com
Paligap Creative Agency http://www.paligap.com
ARP Lorimer & Associates Architects http://www.arpl.co.uk
Brunston Castle Golf Club http://www.brunstoncastle.co.uk
Accident & Injury Claims Centre http://www.accidentclaims.com
Visimetrics http://www.visimetrics.com
Fouters Restaurant http://www.fouters.co.uk
Christie Financial Planning Ltd http://www.christiefp.com
Allison Lightbody Waddell Chartered Surveyors http://www.alwsurveyors.com
Kestrel Press http://www.kestrelpress.com
Fame Publicity Services http://www.famepublicity.co.uk

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