Multi-million pound contract for testing centres extends to 50 sites
A contract awarded to East Yorkshire-based offsite construction specialist Premier Modular to provide modular buildings for Covid-19 testing has been doubled to 50 sites across the UK.
In the last three months, Premier has invested £7m in its hire fleet to meet the increasing demand for its modular buildings in the healthcare, infrastructure, education and construction sectors.
The size of its hire fleet allows a rapid response for major contracts such as the Covid-19 testing project.
Extension of the building contract for Covid-19 testing follows the success of the first phase awarded to Premier by the Department for Health and Social Care for an initial 25 sites from Inverness to Portsmouth.
This national project is supporting the Government in increasing testing capacity in the current pandemic and was procured through the Crown Commercial Service.
David Harris, managing director of Premier Modular, said: “The work our teams have carried out across the country and round the clock has been phenomenal and has been very well received in those communities.
“Our colleagues continue to pull out all the stops in the factory and on site to set up the testing sites in just two to three days which really is an outstanding achievement given the bespoke nature of the buildings and the complexity of the site requirements.
“We are delighted this work has been recognised with the doubling of our contract to 50 sites.”
“Our teams remain totally committed to playing their part in the national effort to support the Government in rapidly increasing Covid-19 testing capabilities. This is a vital initiative to help safeguard public health.”
Premier manufactures the test buildings to order and has put in place an entire extra shift working through the night at its factory in Brandesburton to meet the unprecedented lead times required for this contract.
Each standalone test site has a 1,184 sq ft purpose-designed testing building pre-fitted with eight patient cubicles, hygienic walls, separate staff entrance and exit, test collection and drop off zones and a family testing room.
Premier’s contract also includes the supply of welfare facilities in three buildings to accommodate a PPE room, stores, test preparation, staff rest room, kitchenette and toilets, as well as essential services – water supply, effluent collection and electricity generators.
