Business

Warrenpoint firm CTS Projects to double workforce following £78m contract win

Launching the new Housing Executive contracts is the Housing Executive’s Paul Isherwood, director of asset management, Gerry Flynn, director of housing services, chief executive Clark Bailie and Serena Hylands, assistant managing director of CTS Projects
Launching the new Housing Executive contracts is the Housing Executive’s Paul Isherwood, director of asset management, Gerry Flynn, director of housing services, chief executive Clark Bailie and Serena Hylands, assistant managing director of CTS Pro Launching the new Housing Executive contracts is the Housing Executive’s Paul Isherwood, director of asset management, Gerry Flynn, director of housing services, chief executive Clark Bailie and Serena Hylands, assistant managing director of CTS Projects

WARRENPOINT facilities management CTS Projects said it will expand thanks to a £77.6 million contract with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

The company will carry out repairs on some of the executive's 87,000 homes over the next decade.

It will help double CTS's workforce over the next year to 140, the company said.

It follows a similar deal to provide service to four housing associations which was announced earlier this year and resulted in CTS's employee numbers jumping from 38 to 70.

The latest win also means CTS will open a new office in Lisburn while it will also expand its apprenticeship scheme.

The firm's managing director Connaire McGreevy said: “We are very proud to have been appointed as one of the Housing Executive’s four contractors for housing repairs, which is testament to the high quality and competitiveness of our offering.

"This is a hugely significant development for CTS Projects, and I conservatively estimate that we will take on an additional 70 employees, doubling our employee numbers to 140. We’ll be delivering a total building maintenance package from our current office in Warrenpoint, and a new office in Lisburn which I expect to open before the end of the year.

“The new roles will be many and varied, including joiners, bricklayers, quantity surveyors and contract managers.

“We will also offer an increased number of apprenticeships which is good news in terms of youth employability and key to ensuring we have the necessary skill sets to support our business expansion."

Clark Bailie, chief executive of the Housing Executive added: “We are delighted to announce these new contracts as an real opportunity to provide tenants with high quality repairs service. Alongside the organisation’s planned maintenance programme, the repairs service will see a substantial investment in local economy and provides long-term assurance of job security and training opportunities for four local contracts.

“Over the past year, we have reviewed contracts, to determine how best a modern and efficient service should be delivered. We have taken into account experiences of contractors, best practice elsewhere and the views of customers.

“Given the potential value of this contract the organisation is also eager to ensure that social value is realised through these contracts and that the local communities we work with benefit from this. It is a requirement for each contract lot area to establish a social housing orientated social enterprise.”

In April 2016, CTS Projects announced it had won contracts worth £14m with four housing associations that took employment at the firm from 38 to 70.

CTS Projects now carries out 40 per cent of Northern Ireland’s social housing heating maintenance and upgrades.

The company was also successful in winning the award for NI Plumbing & Heating Domestic Oil Contractor of the Year at the NI Plumbing & Heating Awards last month.