A COMPANY supplying the construction sector is bucking the trend to create jobs and land more contracts.

Milnsbridge-based Continental Installations Ltd has doubled its workforce since the onset of the recession and has invested in new equipment to meet demand for its aluminium curtain walls, windows and entrances.

It operates in the commercial construction sector, principally supplying hotels and student accommodation, but has also supplied components for schools, care homes and offices.

It is also active in the domestic sector under the trading style Crocodile, manufacturing and installing automatic garage doors and innovative gardens rooms and glass verandas across the UK.

The company, which is based in 40,000sq ft premises at Spring Garden Mill, New Street, has created 15 new jobs in the past six months due to work generated by Crocodile – taking the total workforce to 45. It has also invested more than £250,000 in the latest computer-controlled machinery and has doubled its turnover year-on-year.

Contract wins include three hotels in Birmingham with a value of almost £3m which involve converting existing high rise office blocks into hotels.

Continental Installations has also completed projects through major construction firms for Hampton by Hilton, Premier Inn, Travelodge, Indigo and Days Inn as well as several student accommodation schemes across the North West and South Yorkshire.

In addition, it landed a large and complex project as part of a new facility for York University. The company has also carried out work for Bradford University.

Current work includes a six-figure scheme in Sheffield, a project in Manchester to refurbish a council-owned tower block to provide social housing and a new hospice in Bury.

Continental Installations was established only in 2003, but managing director Bevis North and business development manager John Thompson have worked in the industry for many years.

The management team boasts more than 100 years of collective experience in the sector and individual expertise in health and safety, project design and contracts management.

Mr Thompson said: “The sectors we are focusing on seem to be pretty resilient. Premier Inn, for example, are talking about needing another 1,000 bedrooms before the end of the year.

“We have tackled everything from a big hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond to a glass veranda for a house in Yeovil.”

Mr Thompson, whose responsibilities include health and safety, environmental performance, training and business development, said the company was also blessed with a skilled and motivated workforce of factory-based fabricators and teams of installers.

“We train everyone to NVQ level and have received accolades from major construction firms regarding health and safety awareness.

“We have achieved internationally recognised awards for environmental performance ISO 14001, quality management system ISO 9001, UK nationally recognised safety scheme CHAS, products tested to Q Mark standard for enhanced security and accredited licence holders of Secure by Design.”

Mr Thompson said: “We seem to be on an upward spiral. We are working hard throughout the business to ensure we retain our position.

“It is competitive, but we are promoting ourselves to the various contractors and we have built up a position of trust. They know we are going to deliver on time.”

Mr North added: “We have worked hard throughout the recession. For the first six months, it was hard times, but we have doubled our workforce since the recession started. We have cracked on with what we know best.”