Contracts first for building company Northern Bear
Nov 26 2010 by Karen Dent, The Journal
BUILDING services giant Northern Bear has won the contract to design and build new facilities at two private healthcare homes in the region.
Key Healthcare opted for Northern Bear’s specialist construction services company MGM to build a new standalone unit for people with physical disabilities at the Four Seasons Care Centre in Saltburn, plus a new laundry at the site.
The 18-bed unit will increase the centre’s capacity by almost a third.
MGM, which is based in Walker, Newcastle, has also won the contract to build a laundry extension at Key Healthcare’s Grade-II listed Victoria House Care Centre in Middlesbrough.
MGM joint managing director Lance Rainey said: “We are delighted to win these contracts for a new client in an expanding market.
“We have done refurbishments for care homes before but this is the first design and build contract we’ve undertaken in this sector.”
The announcement comes a day after Chester-le-Street-based Northern Bear revealed its best interim results since the start of the recession and said it was aiming to diversify into new areas to stay one step ahead of the competition.
The group, which runs 13 businesses, including MGM, and employs more than 400 people, grew its turnover by 1.9% to £15.9m in the six months to the end of September, while its adjusted pre-tax profits increased to £705,000 from £665,000.
Its business plan is to buy specialist companies which become part of the Northern Bear portfolio but generally continue to run with the same staff and management.
