Portakabin prove the sky's the limit for Serco

When Paradigm Secure Communications signed a £2.5bn PFI contract with the UK Ministry of Defence for the provision of all worldwide satellite communications services to UK Armed Forces, the organisation contracted Serco Skynet 5 Facilities Management to secure high quality accommodation for the project.

The team developing the next generation of Secure Global Communications Satellites is in safe hands and settling into its brand new, state-of-the-art operations support building, thanks to Portakabin.

Serco looked at the various options available to them, but decided with Paradigm that modular construction would offer the ideal solution. This type of building would provide the all-important high-quality working environment the team required, but could also be designed and constructed in half the time it would take to build traditionally.

Paul Burridge, Design and Delivery Manager responsible for the project at Serco, said, ‘Time was a critical factor for our customer. As soon as the green light was given, we needed to get a building up and running as soon as possible. However, at the same time we didn’t want to compromise on quality. After extensive research, we were confident that a modular building could be constructed and ready for occupation far more quickly than a traditional building while still providing a quality working environment.’

After meeting with three modular building providers, and going through a full procurement process, the project team at Serco decided that Portakabin was best positioned to fulfil their requirements, and the contract was awarded.

Paul continued, ‘The proposal put to us by the Portakabin team was sufficient for us to make a clear decision. This was followed up with further visits to the company’s head office in York, which allowed us, along with our key customer, to experience a Portakabin modular building first hand and the design that was to be developed. Everyone was extremely impressed with what they saw. The quality of the building really set the company apart from the rest of the organisations we had met with. The bespoke design for the building was then developed over the following weeks to incorporate the customer’s individual requirements.’

Within 30 weeks Portakabin designed and constructed a 1,800m², two-storey building with a central courtyard. Due to the nature of the work that will be taking place in the building, the design had to cater for high security access systems, environmental requirements and a range of other specialist IT measures.

In addition, the building also came with the unique Portakabin 20-year structural warranty and 5-year product warranty package, providing the team at Serco with complete peace of mind. 

Paradigm, their customer (MOD) and Serco, together with key suppliers, have now moved into the new office and are very impressed with the high-quality environment it provides.

Paul concluded, ‘The service we have received from Portakabin has been very good. Everyone on the team has been easily accessible throughout the project and issues that arose were quickly addressed and resolved in a team manner.

‘The building has provided Paradigm with its own company identity, which the team is very proud of. It is 200% better than the buildings the majority of the staff were in previously and everyone is impressed and satisfied with their new surroundings.’

To find out how Portakabin can help your organisation with its building needs, call 0845 200 1111 (sales), or 0845 355 0350 (Hire). Alternatively visit www.portakabin.co.uk.

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