The first project for the new £45 million local construction and maintenance company Ring Stones has kicked off, creating up to 30 new jobs.
Work has now begun on a £15 million planned maintenance contract that is due to run until March 2017. The first phase involves an external works programme for some of Calico Group’s 4,500 homes in and around Burnley.
There are 19 staff currently working on the project, including plasterers, joiners, roofers, bricklayers, labourers and a site manager.
A second wave of recruitment is now underway for a quantity surveyor, contracts manager, customer liaison officer and gas engineers, as well as additional multi-skilled operatives to supplement existing numbers.
Ring Stones directly employs the labour force rather than subcontracting work out, to secure long-term employment for people in the local area. A total of 96 per cent of the current employees come from East Lancashire.
As well as the planned maintenance work, Ring Stones will bid for additional contracts to take the total anticipated revenue up to £88 million over a 10-year period.
Michael Birkett, Chair of Ring Stones, said: “The £5 million contract represents a strong start for Ring Stones and demonstrates the long-term potential of the partnership.
“Thousands of Burnley residents are set to benefit from the improvements directly, while continuing to focus our recruitment efforts within the area will help create local employment opportunities and drive investment in the community during this challenging time for the wider economy.
“The new recruitment drive will add talent to our capable workforce and ensure we have a strong local supply chain for the delivery of improvement works over the next 10 years.