Welsh aluminium fabricator Dudley’s Aluminium is supporting the construction of the new Computational Foundry Building at Swansea University, in partnership with Willmott Dixon Construction Limited.
Dudley’s agreed the £760K contract to install key structural fixtures at the site, including curtain walling, windows and doors, with the project estimated to be completed in Spring 2018.
The contractor previously completed a £2.2 million contract to support the construction of Swansea University’s Bay Campus in 2015, installing key structural architectural aluminium and glazing for the Innovation Hub and the ESRI (Energy Safety Research Institute) building on the 65-acre site.
Continuing their involvement in the development at Swansea University’s Bay Campus, Dudley’s will work on the Computational Foundry project, which will help to transform Swansea, West Wales, the Valleys and the nation, into a global destination for computational scientists, drawing people from across the globe to study and work in Wales.
The Foundry will be a bespoke environment built from the ground up, and will house Computational Scientists within the heart of the university’s Bay Campus.
The innovative site has been designed to support and encourage close collaboration between the industry and academia. To support this and to increase engagement, the building will have an inspirational central space, seminar and events rooms and communal meeting areas, to create shared working spaces for these groups to come together.
The Research Crucible based within the Foundry will host space for over 150 researchers and will include Research and Development Laboratories, Postgraduate and Researcher areas, and a networking space. To help stimulate commercial opportunities, encourage entrepreneurship and create jobs, the building will also feature bespoke research laboratories that support industrial proof-of concept and prototyping work, allowing the university to effectively engage with the industry and businesses of all sizes, across all sectors.
Commenting on Dudley’s contract, managing director Colin Shorney said: “The construction of the Computational Foundry Building is a very exciting project for both the local area and the wider scientific community, and we are delighted help create a building that will facilitate such world-class research here in Wales.
“We hope the new building will not only showcase our expertise, but also allow the university to achieve pioneering research in this rapidly growing multidisciplinary field, and we have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the £450 million Bay Campus regeneration project over the last few years.”
Dudley’s Aluminium has completed a number of important education sector contracts in South Wales in the last couple of years, as well as supporting the construction of Swansea University’s new Bay Campus, most notably the contractor secured a £1.2m contract to help develop the RICS Wales award-winning CUBRIC research centre, at Cardiff University.
Dudley’s reputation for quality has been recognised with several industry-related accreditations. The company is CHAS and Achilles accredited, Constructionline registered, and certified to manufacture “Secured by Design” products.
Established in 1993, Dudley’s Aluminium offers clients full in-house design and production facilities, and has completed many successful and prestigious education, health, commercial, retail and defence sector projects throughout the UK and Channel Islands.