The Nottinghamshire-based company – which is the UK market leader in the design, manufacture and installation of commercial and industrial chimney, flue and exhaust systems – will act as a subcontractor of Vital Energi, which is the principle contractor for the supply and installation of the energy centres as part of the redevelopment of the site of the Grade II* listed building.
A1 Flue Systems has already started work on-site in the main energy centre (MEC) and the off-site manufacturing of the flue modules for the South West Wash Tower, comprising seven-metre long sections with three 700mm diameter boiler flues. This will be followed by the North East Wash Tower and chimney, comprising 950mm, 850mm and 675mm diameter flues, which will make up the six flue systems that will be installed in the North East Wash Tower and the three that will be installed in the South West Wash Tower and chimney.
The installation of the chimneys – and their connection to the boilers and combined heat and power engines in the MEC and to the existing boilers in the satellite energy centre – and the flue systems is scheduled to be completed by October 2019.
The signing of the agreement comes ten years after A1 Flue Systems first started discussions with the Battersea Power Station Development Company about chimney systems for the site.
A1 Flue Systems Director John Hamnett said “We are thrilled to have signed the agreement to provide the systems that will be installed in two of the chimneys as part of the redevelopment of the site of the world-famous Battersea Power Station.
“Battersea Power Station is the latest in a long line of iconic projects for a company that prides itself on being the best of British in both engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Our recent portfolio of projects in the capital includes The Shard, ‘The Cheesegrater’ (The Leadenhall Building) and ‘The Walkie Talkie’ (20 Fenchurch Street).
“Securing the project is testament to the brilliance of all 140 people who work at A1, who have made the company a world beater in the design, manufacture and installation of commercial and industrial chimney, flue and exhaust systems.”
“A1 Flue Systems have proven themselves time and again to be experts in chimney and flue systems, and this project demands the very best,” said Rob Callaghan from Vital Energi. “We worked closely with A1 Flue Systems during the pre-construction phase to deliver the very detailed design objectives. The level of design and engineering that has gone into developing the systems is first class, and we are equally confident in the quality of their manufacturing and the skill of their installation in what will be a tight timescale.”
The agreement comes three years after A1 Flue Systems secured a contract to install a temporary chimney system for the development’s energy centre as part of the Phase 1 boiler plant. As part of the new contract, the company will remove the temporary structure.
The awarding of the contract will not lead to the creation of more jobs at A1 Flue Systems, according to fellow Director Tracy-Jane Duncan-Moir, who says that the company has sufficient flexibility within its own labour force to fulfil the contract.
“This is a huge coup for our business, and it makes us very proud that an award-winning family-run business in North Nottinghamshire has become the UK centre of excellence in flue and chimney design. Being able to add such an iconic UK landmark to our portfolio of high-profile projects is amazing,” said Mrs Duncan-Moir.
