Hillside School, Portlethen

Portlethen is one of Aberdeen’s fastest-growing commuter towns and, within two years of completion, the local primary school needed space for more pupils... quickly. What’s more, the four-classroom extension had to be completed while the existing school and nursery operated as normal.

Boyco were approached to simply provide fixed furniture and equipment but, instead, proposed a fully managed, supply and installation service that would ease the pressure on main contractor Bancon Construction. Our end-to-end package included the design, manufacture and installation of a bespoke system of cloakroom fittings, teacher walls, kitchen units and height-adjustable worktops.

Challenging lead times were made more difficult by the coronavirus pandemic and new construction site rules. However, we put together a plan of works for accelerated manufacture and installed the systems in just two weeks at the end of 2020. The extension was handed over to the client in January 2021.

“It was satisfying that even in the midst of a global pandemic, the Council and its partners could work together to ensure the completion of the project,” said Cllr Gillian Owen, chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Education and Children’s Services Committee.

Throughout, we liaised directly with the architect and the end client, combining our skills and experience to provide a fully-managed service designed to take the pressure off the main contractor. “Hassle-free” was how they described it. The project contributed to a portfolio of successful supply-and-fit projects in Scotland. “I will be recommending that Bancon Construction use Boyco on future projects,” said site manager Colin Smith.