Arkoni secures largest contract

The contract, at No 1 Forbury Place, in Reading, includes what is believed to be the biggest butt-jointed glazing construction in Europe and covers eight floors around the building’s eye-catching atrium area.

Delivered on behalf of contractors Galliford Try and owners M&G Real Estate, the order significantly eclipses Arkoni’s previous biggest contract, a £900,000 contract at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital on Merseyside late last year.

Arkoni MD Mark Prentice said: “We’re continuing to operate at full capacity with orders, including this prestigious development in Reading, flooding in from right across the UK.

“The growing recognition of the importance of fire-rated glazing within new construction projects is having a dramatic impact on our growth and we hope to maintain momentum with major projects such as Forbury Place.”

The 17,300 square metre Forbury Place, due for completion in August, is the first of three office developments on the site in the centre of Reading under the auspices of architects Aukett Swanke.

Arkoni, established in 1991, specialises in the manufacture and installation of bespoke fire rated glazing, steel and stainless steel windows and doors and thermally broken glazing as well as balustrades, glazed canopies and staircases.

The company currently employs 60 at its Brighouse HQ and looks set to report a 2014/2015 August to July turnover of £6.5 million, a 23% increase on the previous twelve months. Arkoni expects to report a similar level of growth for the period 2015-16.