Sunderland Echo

Booming business with one million reasons to celebrate

- Tom Patterson echo.news@jpimedia.co.uk @sunderland­echo

A booming air conditioni­ng business has a million reasons to celebrate.

HLA Services, which employs 100 people from its base on Boldon Business Park, has announced a string of new contracts worth over £1m after expanding its operation into the North West.

The firm is one of the North East’s leading mechanical, air conditioni­ng, climate change and temperatur­e control specialist­s and has clients in a range of sectors, including constructi­on, manufactur­ing, retail, education and hospitalit­y.

The company already has a satellite office in Carlisle and is continuing its rapid growth with new projects that span the Pennines.

Director, Paul Smith, said: “We have a strategic focus on growing the business more heavily across the North West, Teesside and North Yorkshire. We have enjoyed great success in our traditiona­l territorie­s but we are ambitious and want to continue to grow.

"With satellite offices in these areas we already have a footprint and we are gaining momentum."

New contacts include installing new ventilatio­n systems at a tyre manufactur­ing factory in Cummersdal­e and at The Christie cancer unit at Macclesfie­ld District General Hospital.

It is also involved in the refurbishm­ent of the Wordsworth Museum in Grasmere, carrying out similar work at Derwent Pencil Museum, Keswick, and is undertakin­g another project at Kimberly Clark in Barrow- In-Furness.

Paul added: “Our ongoing contracts also include an air conditioni­ng and ventilatio­n project for BAE Systems and ventilatio­n systems for the Rheged Centre in Penrith.”

Fellow director Neil Henry, added: “As we continue to grow both our headcount and the business outside of the region, it is important our vision and values remain in place.

“We have had a great start to the year and we are a forward-thinking company. It is vital we have the right people to take us forward.

“Our hires only occur if we think someone is the right fit.

"We also ensure our younger members of the team work closely with experience­d employees so that skills and tips are passed on to the next generation.”

 ??  ?? From left, Marcus West, HLA manager for the North West, with the firm’s directors Neil Henry and Paul Smith.
From left, Marcus West, HLA manager for the North West, with the firm’s directors Neil Henry and Paul Smith.

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