Christchurch company’s steel resolve in Caribbean school rebuild project
A STRUCTURAL steel company in Christchurch is helping to rebuild a hurricane-hit primary school in the Caribbean.
REIDsteel is leading a consortium of UK businesses which have joined forces to help reconstruct the Enis Adams Primary School after it was completely destroyed when hurricanes Irma and Maria swept through Tortola in the British Virgin Islands in October 2017.
John Reid & Sons Ltd, which trades as REIDsteel, was founded in 1919 by Colonel John Reid. The company is still owned by the Reid family.
The firm regularly designs, manufactures, ships and erects entire steel buildings, including cladding and glazing requirements, to anywhere in the world. Previous projects include factory buildings in Mauritius, bridges in Africa, and aircraft hangars and industrial buildings in the UK.
REIDsteel specialises in designing structures to withstand extreme events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and tsunamis.
The Christchurch-based company designed 26 buildings in the British Virgin Islands, all of which survived the hurricanes of 2017 with only superficial damage.
REIDsteel commercial director Tim Cook (pictured right in front of the new Enis Adams primary school building) has just returned from Tortola where he saw how work was progressing.
He said: “It was great to see the new school in person.
“All of the steelwork has gone up and work is going well as it nears completion. The school is being rebuilt to modern standards and requirements with disabled facilities and an additional second floor.
“As well as seven classrooms on the ground floor, it will have a science lab, IT suite, library, large seminar room on the second floor plus a medical room. The school will be much improved on the previous building and will create a real legacy for the future.”
The new school has been designed to withstand 185mph winds and earthquakes.
Virgin Islands businessman Peter Haycraft, who is a longstanding client of REIDsteel with his former business Road Town Wholesale, pledged his own money for the reconstruction.
REIDsteel then designed and supplied the steelwork and rallied its suppliers to support the project too.
Mr Haycraft said: “It is gratifying to see the Enis Adams school rise from the rubble as our community works to put the devastation of the hurricanes behind us.”
Managing director of Newton Construction Co Ltd, Hesketh Newton (left), said: “The school is taking shape with every passing day and will be superb once finished.”
For more information on REIDsteel visit www.reidsteel.com.
