Business

Lisburn firm Okto launches UK’s first ‘mirror-build’ off-site production facility

OKTO’s team at work in the new mirror-build lab
OKTO’s team at work in the new mirror-build lab OKTO’s team at work in the new mirror-build lab

LISBURN smart building specialist Okto Technologies has invested £1.2 million in the UK's first ‘mirror-build’ off-site production facility.

And it has led to the recruitment of 20 new project and process managers, designers, programmers and technicians.

Established in 1992 by Philip Dowds to instal and repair television aerials in housing estates, Okto specialises in the development and delivery of smart building technology and control systems for some of the world’s most exclusive hotels, commercial offices and multi-million pound residential schemes.

The new facilities will allow Okto to pre-assemble and meticulously test each project under factory conditions in Lisburn, before then being transported and installed in its final destination.

The mirror-build lab delivers significant time savings of up to 75 per cent at the pivotal on-site commissioning period, when time and space are at a premium.

Managing director Philip Dowds said: “Together with our uncompromising and meticulous attention to detail, mirror-build provides better quality systems which are delivered faster than any of our competitors can come close to.”

He said Okto's cutting edge technologies surpass industry norms, adding: “In the complex and multi-layered world of high-end property development, the benefits of this mirror-build lab are fully realised at commissioning stage, when snags, bugs and mistakes are most costly – both financially and in terms of time.

“Nothing is left to sort out on site, with every hour spent in the mirror build lab equating to four hours saved on site, so the efficiencies are significant.”

Okto recently won four contracts worth more than £10.5 million to develop and deliver its bespoke technologies to prime residential developments under construction in London’s West End