As a world-class, leading provider and manufacturer of handrails, balustrade, balconies, adaptive bathrooms and showering facilities, did you know that we supplied products for some world-famous names and places? From the sporting arena and royal heritage to the world of dance, music and television, Neaco’s products are associated with some globally recognised brands.
WIMBLEDON CENTRE COURT
Dating back to 1877, Centre Court in Wimbledon is the world’s most famous tennis court and one of the most famous venues in any sport. It’s the main court used during the hugely popular and iconic Wimbledon Championship, which is the third annual Grand Slam event of the tennis calendar and widely regarded as the most prestigious. Its only regular use for play is during the two weeks a year that the Championships take place. Neaco are proud to reveal that we supplied the ventilation grilles for Centre Court’s retracting roof which first came into use in 2009. Centre Court has a Royal Box which is often occupied by members of the Royal Family on finals days. Which reminds us of another project…
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
Who hasn’t heard of Buckingham Palace? We’ve certainly never met anybody that claims to be unaware of the official HQ of HRH. Did you know that Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of the UK’s sovereigns since 1837? It’s fair to say that the palace is one of the world’s most famous addresses and boasts a total of 775 rooms. The building is largely used to hold a wide range of royal events and ceremonies. More than 50,000 people from all over the world visit the palace each year. Neaco are proud to reveal that our products have enjoyed a royal appointment at Buckingham Palace – our balustrade and aluminium decking have been specified for a wheelchair access ramp and a new phase of redevelopment will include our roof access walkways! Truly an honour, Your Majesty…
HARRODS
Again, if you haven’t heard of the legendary Harrods brand, we highly recommend putting it on your must-do list. Probably London’s most famous shop – and one of the world’s most famous – Harrods is an upmarket department store located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, and was set up in 1824 by Charles Henry Harrod. The store occupies a 5-acre site and has 330 departments covering one million square feet of retail space.
Did you know that in 1989, Harrods introduced a dress code policy, and has since turned away several people who it believed were not dressed appropriately? Also, in 1959, the British department store House of Fraser bought Harrods, fighting off competition from Debenhams. At Neaco, we were commissioned to supply stainless steel staircase balustrade in Harrods. The design was in keeping with the store’s prestigious status and we’d like to think that it was money well spent for Harrods.
CORONATION STREET
Whether you watch soaps or not, you can’t deny that Coronation Street holds a firm place in classic British culture for millions of people all over the country. The evergreen soap opera has been running since 1960. Set in the fictional town of Weatherfield, with a real-life set based in Salford, the show has been one of the most financially lucrative programmes on British TV, underpinning the success of Granada Television and ITV.
Did you know that Corrie was conceived in 1960 by scriptwriter Tony Warren, but was initially rejected by the station’s Founder Sidney Bernstein? After producing thirteen pilot episodes, within six months the show had become the most-watched programme on British television. One of Neaco’s products became part of the Weatherfield scenery when we were asked to fit a grab rail outside one of the houses on the Coronation Street set. When it comes to quality and service, we’re streets ahead.
FERRARI FORMULA ONE
Formula One is one of the most celebrated and watched sports in the world. Scuderia Ferrari is the official name of the racing division of luxury Italian auto manufacturer, Ferrari, which competes in Formula One racing championships every year, and has done since its first ever race in May 1950 at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Did you know that Ferrari is the oldest surviving and most successful Formula One team? Michael Schumacher is the team’s most successful driver. Joining the team in 1996 and departing in 2006, he won five Drivers’ titles and 72 Grands Prix for the team. In the 1998 season Neaco were part of Ferrari’s team – we designed and supplied balustrade and flooring for their mobile hospitality suite. We’re always quick off the mark to boast about this particular Italian job!
MICHAEL FLATLEY
Anyone with a passing interest in Irish dance will know the name Michael Flatley. This American dancer, choreographer, and musician became internationally known for Irish dance shows Riverdance, Lord of the Dance, Feet of Flames and Celtic Tiger. His parents were both Irish-born, but migrated to the US several years before his birth. Michael began dancing lessons at age 11 and at age 17 was the first American to secure a World Irish Dance title. At the height of Michael’s fame Neaco were involved in the production his hugely popular Feet of Flames tour in 2000. We supplied our Techdek grille decking for two stage platforms (pictured) for the popular dance show. Techdek is commonly used for staging because the grille allows light to penetrate, creating an effect that can enhance the aesthetics of a show. It’s a flamin’ impressive sight.
RAMMSTEIN
They may not be a households name in the UK, but German band Rammstein are famous across Europe as one of the continent’s most popular rock/metal acts. Formed in 1994 in Berlin, Rammstein’s six-man line-up has been unchanged throughout their existence. Did you know that the majority of their songs are in German, but they have also performed songs entirely or partially in other languages including English, Spanish, French, and Russian? Rammstein’s award-winning live shows are best known for their pyrotechnic elements and both on and off-stage theatrics. More recently, they headlined the Download Festival as part of their first UK tour in years.
For their 2009/10 tours Rammstein supported their heavy metal sets with some light metal staging supplied by Neaco – our Techdek aluminium grilles are lightweight yet extremely strong, making them ideal for travelling stages with high technical requirements like Rammstein’s. We always loudly proclaim it as proof that Neaco’s products rock.
ST. JAMES’S GATE GUINESS BREWERY
St. James’s Gate Brewery is a brewery founded in 1759 in Dublin, Ireland, by Arthur Guinness. The company is now a part of Diageo, a company formed from the merger of Guinness and Grand Metropolitan in 1997. The main product of the brewery is the hugely popular drink, Guinness Draught, enjoyed by drinkers across the Ireland, UK and the across world. The brewery has now become one of Dublin’s most popular visitor attractions.
Did you know that it became the largest brewery in Ireland in 1838, and the largest in the world by 1886, with an annual output of 1.2 million barrels? Although it is no longer the largest brewery in the world, it is still the largest brewer of stout in the world. Neaco supplied our Techdek aluminium grilles as walkways providing maintenance access to the iconic silos at St. James’ s Gate Brewery. Another landmark featuring our products? We’ll drink to that!
