A leisure fit-out company in Co Armagh has secured a £30m contract for the fit-out of a cruise ship in Germany.
The Deluxe Group in Portadown is to spend 12 months fitting out the dining and entertainment spaces on the vessel, which is to set sail in the Far East next year.
The value of the contract makes its the company’s biggest to date. However, the identity of the client and the cruise ship has not been identified.
The Deluxe Group worked in the cruise sector in the 1990s and has been building up a new portfolio of projects in the sector in the last six years.
The company said demand for its services was increasing as themed entertainment venues on board cruise ships become more popular.
Prefabrication work will take place using 3D digital technology at the group’s Portadown workshops, where the business recently added 30 new jobs as part of a £1.5m investment.
Colm O’Farrell, executive chairman of The Deluxe Group
Colm O’Farrell, executive chairman of The Deluxe Group, said: “Clients seeking to bring to life their imaginative concepts, now see The Deluxe Group as a one stop shop with our in-house design, joinery and composites workshops pushing the boundaries of creative fabrication.”
The company is currently working on the fit-out of a new theme park experience based on a major film franchise. It’s to open next year at a new theme park in Orlando.
Over the past three years, the company has seen a 45% increase in export sales, with more than half of its turnover coming from international projects in countries such as Japan, Spain, and the USA.
In the UK, the company is also renowned for delivering luxurious interiors for hospitality venues, retail spaces and branded residential developments.
Mr. O’Farrell added: “With our new subsidiary in Florida, the home of both the cruise and themed entertainment industries, we are well-positioned to grow our share of the expanding experience economy.”
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Steve Harper, executive director of international business and skills at economic development agency Invest NI, said: “The Deluxe Group is a company that is committed to growing in new markets. It is brilliant to see this new contract win build upon its impressive portfolio.
“Wins like this are an example of how the advice and guidance of our trade and in-market teams has a direct impact on a company’s export success.
“Over the last three years we have helped local companies secure contract wins worth nearly £200m across Great Britain and Europe.
“These wins not only contribute to businesses bottom line and future resilience but also help put Northern Ireland on the global stage as a provider of quality goods and services.”
According to 2022 company accounts for Deluxe Art & Theme, the business has 159 staff.