From Bremen and Frankfurt in Germany to Liege in Belgium, dynamic Northern Ireland contractor Premier Electrics have just finished 2009 on a high note with multinational retailer Primark.

Premier Electrics have completed projects for Primark across Europe

The Bellaghy-based company, a specialist in fast-track electrical fit-outs for the retail sector, completed three European Primark projects last year with a total contract value believed to be in excess of €5 million.

With Primark’s parent company ABF (Associated British Foods) recently reporting a marked increase in revenue in the first quarter of its financial year and with same store Primark sales on an upward trajectory, Premier is quietly confident that it is well-positioned to compete for further European contracts from the retail giant in 2010.

The projects – which involved the full electrical fit-outs of all lighting and power systems, fire alarms, anti-intruder devices and CCTV as well as store-specific features at each of the three locations – typically involved mobile teams of about 20-30 Premier employees working to tight turnaround times.

The Mid-Ulster based company launched its first foray into the German market last spring with a fit out to a 60,000 sq ft sales space in a Primark store in Bremen, where it worked with Ballymena-based contractor, Patton Fit Out.

Work then commenced on the Frankfurt NordWestZentrum Shopping Centre outlet in August, and entailed a three week strip out of previous big brand tenant, SinnLeffers, prior to the full fit-out of a 53,000 sales space in an ultra-tight timeframe of 9 weeks.

Company Manager, Tony Shivers, suggested that after the Bremen project, the Premier team was much better equipped to win German contracts in the future:
“Bremen was a new experience for us, and the amount of pre-contract work put in was extensive, especially to familiarise ourselves with national DIN standards. However, it was a great learning experience for the team and undoubtedly proved to be a major benefit when we came to approach the Frankfurt project.”

The company’s third 2009 European project in Liege saw it work in partnership with Dutch company Akor to turn around a fit-out for a store at the Media Shopping Centre in another 9 weeks timeframe, and just in time for pre-Christmas store opening on 1st December.

Rory Scullion, Premier Electrics’ Financial Controller was upbeat about the company’s prospects for 2010:
“It’s been our ability to deliver complex programs to tight deadlines without compromising on quality which has helped us to see out a tough couple of years. I believe that we’re well positioned to meet the challenges that lie ahead and to compete with the best in the market for fresh European retail opportunities this year. ”