De Boer secures prestigious Farnborough contract

Structure specialist De Boer is celebrating after securing a contract to extend its role at the world-famous Farnborough International Airshow until at least 2016.

Huge exhibition venue
The deal, signed with the airshow’s organiser, Farnborough International Ltd (FIL), marks a significant success for De Boer, which has been responsible for creating the event’s huge temporary exhibition venue since 1996.

Largest single assignment
The prestigious biennial event constitutes the group’s largest assignment, last year involving a build programme lasting 20 weeks and the supply of more than 3,600 tonnes of equipment. The total floorspace created by the company for the 2010 event exceeded 90,000 square metres.

Exclusive structure supplier
Brackley-based De Boer had already been contracted to supply to the aviation spectacular in 2012, as part of an earlier deal, but agreement has now been reached to continue as exclusive structure supplier to FIL in 2014 and 2016.

Hard work, commitment and expertise
Peter Spruce, Managing Director of De Boer Structures (UK) Ltd, said: “De Boer is immensely proud of the part it has played at successive airshows since 1996. Last year marked the eighth occasion we have supplied the event with its huge temporary exhibition venue. We see it as a tremendous tribute to the hard work, commitment and expertise of our team – and to our superb working relationship with Farnborough International Ltd – that we have now been awarded a contract until at least 2016.”

Depth of relationship
Shaun Ormrod, Chief Executive Officer of Farnborough International Ltd, said: “There is no doubt in my mind that the quality and the depth of the relationship we have with all of our mainstream suppliers is one of our key strengths. It has been a very positive experience working with the De Boer team who have played a key role in helping us deliver a fantastic event in 2010 which is reflected by the award of this new extended contract to supply our structures through to 2016.

Key suppliers
“Looking ahead to the next Farnborough show we will have the challenge of staging an event around the same time as the London Olympics. This means that the better the relationship you have with your key suppliers, the more robust your planning is to be able to cope with challenges such as the Olympic Games. Grahame Jones, our Operations Director, has been working with Peter Spruce and his team and our other key suppliers to ensure that, ahead of the 2012 Olympics, we have as much robustness in our supply chain as we can possibly have – and that we can reassure our ultimate customers, the aerospace industry, that it will be business as usual for 2012.”

Exhibition halls and hospitality suites
De Boer commenced work on the 2010 airshow at the start of March and in subsequent weeks erected temporary structures with enough floor space to accommodate London’s mighty Royal Albert Hall no fewer than 30 times! The assignment – which involved delivery of equipment by more than 200 articulated lorries – resulted in the creation of four huge exhibition halls together with a vast array of corporate hospitality suites, business chalets, public dining areas and a media centre for Farnborough International Airshow 2010 which took place last July.

Aviation extravaganza
The airshow, one of the world's most iconic aviation events, attracted 1,445 exhibitors from 40 countries with a staggering US$ 47 billion of business transacted during the event. More than 120,000 people attended the five trade days with a further 108,000 people enjoying the aviation extravaganza over two public days.