A GROWING Belfast fit-out firm has outlined ambitions to become the best in the UK and Ireland.
Pure Fitout, founded in 2015, employs 50 at its new 25,000 sq ft workshop in Mallusk and has plans to be number one in its field.
Managing director Ronan Higham, speaking to the Irish News, explained the business has a deeply held mantra of 'delivery', which has helped develop a core group of clients in Ireland, including Boojum, hospitality group NolaClan (whose portfolio includes House Belfast), Press Up Entertainment Group and restaurant chain FiveGuys.
Now through its new state-of-the-art 25,000 sq ft workshop for metal work and joinery, the business hopes to grow its UK business and target the lucrative London market.
"We've invested in a business development manager to grow business in the UK, especially London," Mr Higham said.
"We're trying to develop and grow the business over there as much as we've done in Ireland and especially Dublin. For the projects (in London) there's a bigger spend, there's a bigger cap excess, naturally with the size of the city. As busy as Dublin is, as fantastic a city it is to work in, there's only so much we can do.
"At the minute it is pretty good in Ireland. In London it is definitely getting there, we're tendering a couple of nice projects there at the minute and hopefully we can get to the table and get a deal done with a couple of these clients. And if we deliver, other projects should come from that. That's the plan."
As part of the projected growth at the Belfast company, Mr Higham said he hopes to take on 20 staff within the next year, dependant on business, and expects the number of projects undertaken to once again increase from the 25 completed last year.
"We're just going to keep going, put the head down and keep moving. The trajectory has went quite high quite quickly, which is sometimes a bit worrying because of the amount of projects you have on, cash flow and everything else. It is quite difficult, but we're doing quite well, all the staff are very happy hopefully and we've a great team here," he said.
"We've doubled the business practically year-on-year. When we started our turnover was £4.5m, then it went to £9m, then it went up to £15m. We're aiming for this year hopefully in and around a 10 per cent rise on that £15m. If we hit £16.5m/£17m that would be fantastic."
Pure Fitout is currently live on its biggest ever project - a £9 million contract with long-standing customer Press Up for the Mayson Hotel on North Wall Quay in Dublin, due for completion before the end of the year. It trumps the previously highest - the £3.5 Devlin Hotel in the city.
The Belfast company has also started work with Maud's Ice Cream and was one of the many local contractors to work on the €233 million Center Parcs Longford Forest.
Last month the firm completed the first phase of a Dublin city centre hotel with new client Raddison, which has the potential to deliver significant revenue for the business going forward.
"So far we have completed the first phase of a two-phase project and that was delivered and handed over last weekend. The client is over the moon with it and hopefully the next phase goes the same way and we'll all be happy in the end as I know that client has the potential for more fantastic work," Mr Higham said.
Added to this, Pure Fitout is live on a restaurant project in London and has just finished an office project in the city. Looking ahead the company head said the business has a "really strong pipeline" and is optimistic about the future.
"I think the local companies like McCue, Portview, those companies are doing fantastically well. They all deliver brilliant, beautiful projects, I know this first-hand so if we're anywhere near any of those guys in a couple of years time I will be absolutely delighted.
"The ambition is to become one of the leading fit-out companies in the UK and Ireland. Northern Ireland has fantastic history of fit-out companies, they work all over the world and they all deliver. I think business people in London and elsewhere know this so there's no reason why we can't do it," he added.
