Thorn Lighting has secured preferred supplier status from Aspire Defence – a joint venture between Carillion and Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) – to provide the lighting for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Allenby/Connaught PFI contract.
Between now and 2016, a £1.2 billion construction programme will transform Army garrisons at Aldershot and across Salisbury Plain (Tidworth, Bulford, Perham Down, Larkhill and Warminster), providing 11,000 en-suite bedrooms, including approximately 7,000 new bedrooms for single soldier living accommodation blocks and over 4,000 bedrooms refurbished to the same modern standards. In addition, a range of new facilities, including new dining centres, theatres and community centres will be built to provide modern high-street style living for Army personnel.
Thorn will work with Aspire and its supply chain partners, especially Schneider Electrics’ Square D brand, to deliver efficient and effective lighting using state-of-the-art construction techniques. One innovative way of working is the off-site construction of bedroom accommodation modules complete with plug and play electrical installation, which allows Aspire to deliver exceptional consistency, quality of service and long term value for money to the MoD.
“Aspire will be supported by several world-class supply chain partners and we value the contribution they will make to the ongoing support we will provide to the Army over the next 35 years.” commented Peter Smart, Chief Executive of Aspire Defence.
Joanne Martin, Regional Business Manager of Thorn Lighting said: “We are delighted to have been selected for what is the MoD’s largest Estates PFI project to date and believe that our expertise and products will deliver real benefits for both the British Army and its soldiers. Indeed the efforts of our supply chain partners has already been highly commended in the CIBSE Patron’s 2006 Teamwork Award.”