Berry Systems Enter the Cladding Market
09 August 2010
After developing a combined safety barrier and cladding product, it was a short step for Berry Systems to enter the general car park cladding market.
With support from other group companies like Ash & Lacy and TopDeck Parking, plus the expertise gained from both the Berry Systems and TopDeck installation teams, Berry aim to provide architects and contractors with an attractive cladding package backed by thorough knowledge of the specialist requirements of the car park market. Most car park cladding specifications are chosen to reduce vision into the car park and provide a degree of protection from the elements whilst allowing adequate ventilation and avoid an accumulation of noxious exhaust gases.
This was put to the test at the new Runcorn Station multi-storey car park. A £7.7m design and construct contract was awarded to Keir Civil Engineering and the four storey MSCP sub-contracted to Composite Ltd.
The expanded car park provides an additional 198 parking spaces, making a total of 558 spaces on the site. The architect’s vision was to evoke images of the waves rippling along the nearby romantic River Mersey and so the perforated metal cladding ripples along the side of the car park with the upper and lower edges symbolising the waves washing on the shore.
The fixings for the cladding had to be designed to accommodate this unconventional finish. Installation on this first cladding project went smoothly and the car park opened on schedule last year.
Managing Director Ian Darlington said “This new venture enables us to expand our product range in the area of our greatest expertise. By being involved at an earlier stage in the project we can provide added benefits for our customers and expand our business with them both on the cladding and barrier specifications. A win win situation.”
