Sunderland firm's role in creation of new coronavirus Nightingale hospital

BPP Visual, which designs, manufactures and installs signage from its Washington base, is working with Balfour Beatty on the Glasgow Nightingale Hospital, which will become a major treatment centre for Coronavirus patients as the nation battles the global pandemic.

The Washington Business Centre firm has created more than 20 signage boards and displays for the work and has offered offered to provide free signs for use in the hospital when it opens in the coming days.

London’s ExCel Centre has already been converted into a Nightingale Hospitals in the country and it is understood an industrial unit near Nissan is being considered for conversion.

Richard Greensmith, managing director of BPP Visual, said: “It’s been all hands on deck to support this project, as these hospitals are essentially being built in less than a fortnight, and clearly they are urgently needed to help battle this Covid-19 crisis.

“We have worked with the team at Balfour Beatty on many other projects, but nothing quite like this. We have produced and delivered signs in less than 24 hours to ensure that they are able to undertake their part of the hospital conversion in a smooth, organised way.

“It’s been a challenging project but one we are glad to have been able to support with. Everyone needs to work together during times like these, and we were determined to do whatever was necessary to deliver what was required.”The Glasgow hospital is being converted now and follows the much-publicised conversion of the

Richard added: “Driving up to Glasgow to deliver the signs, and seeing the scale of the task ahead is an eye-opener. It really is going to need everyone pushing in the same direction to deliver this project, and I hope the small part we have played does help this national effort.”

Peter McIntyre, city development director at Sunderland City Council: “We are incredibly proud that we have businesses like BPP, that are stepping up to lend their expertise during this very challenging time.”

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