A Cardiff-based construction firm has won a leading industry award for the third year in a row for a new development in the Welsh capital at the same time as revenue exceeds £14M for the first time.
Atkin Trade Specialists, based in Cardiff docks, has received a Gold award at the annual Finishes and Interior Sector (FIS) Awards for the development of 85 private apartments on Schooner Way in the city. The awards ceremony was held at the Dorchester Hotel in London.
The development, which occupies the site previously belonging to the Wharf pub, is the brainchild of primary developer Morganstone and architects Austin:Smith-Lord.
Speaking of the development, Managing Director Robert Atkin said: “To claim the hat-trick and win a FIS Gold award for the third year running is a fantastic achievement and one we are fiercely proud of. In our ninth decade of business, it is clear that we are still continuing to deliver an exceptional end-product due to our unrivalled knowledge of Metframe structures.
“To claim the award for a development on our doorstep in our home city working with two other Cardiff-based firms, makes it an even sweeter victory.
The seven-storey development required 287 tonnes of Metrame steel and took just a total of 21 weeks to be installed, which is nearly 14 tonnes per week. The Metframe wall and roof panels, which are a mix of hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel, were pre-assembled off-site by Atkin Trade Specialists before being installed to a detailed site programme.
Now in its 84th year in business, family-operated Atkin Trade Specialists won the last two FIS awards in 2016 and 2017 for CATS College in Kent and Extra Care Housing in Dorchester, respectively.
Mr Atkin continued: “The FIS Gold award is the feather in the cap for us; it marks our third successive project in which we have received such recognition. This should be something the entire Welsh construction sector should be proud of. We punch above our weight here in Wales, so it is great to see exciting projects delivered by thriving local firms getting the plaudits at a time when our capital city is booming.”
Atkin Trade Specialists has a long and rich history in the Welsh capital. Mr Atkin said: “My father established the business in 1934. We have grown to work on large-scale construction projects across the whole of the UK, and our 84th year in business has proved to be a successful one; with turnover increasing by 15% to just over £14M and projects keeping us occupied well into 2019. It’s a very healthy environment at present.”
Atkin Trade Specialists has evolved dramatically over recent years, with Metsec Metframe central to the business’ offering. The pre-panelised steel frame solution is used to provide the shell structure for medium rise buildings up to 15 storeys tall; and is suitable for various sectors including hotels, student accommodation, care homes and apartment blocks.