A STEEL company has carried out work on the expansion of a major shopping centre.

SCH Site Services, based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, installed 215 tonnes of steel for the extension of the new Qube II at Gateshead’s intu Metrocentre.

The project is part of a £17m development to increase the number of restaurants and cafes available at the Metrocentre.

This particular extension has created 11 new spaces for dining outlets at the shopping centre.

SCH also carried out roof strengthening and lighting work at the Metrocentre, involving a further 100 tonnes of steel.

Gary Finley, managing director of SCH, said: “The 215-tonne extension consisted of primary structural steelwork which had to be erected within a service yard surrounded by two-storey buildings on all four sides.

“The steel was delivered through a service tunnel on 45-foot trailers, and we had to work both days and nights to erect the steelwork to ensure we met a tight programme deadline.”

SCH is currently working on another project for intu at Eldon Square in Newcastle – which is currently receiving a £25m development.

The investment will create space for a further 20 new restaurants to the site.

The firm recently constructed a 150-tonne project for chemical firm Huntsman Tioxide at Greatham, near Hartlepool.

SCH was formed in 2006 and first operated as a crane hire company with four mobile cranes and four drivers working for local companies, before expanding into steel work.

In the summer, SCH announced it was looking to recruit a number of steel erectors and crane drivers after securing a number of new contracts.

The agreements included work to refurbish a BAE Systems structure used to make nuclear submarines and a development at drugs firm GlaxoSmithKline in Barnard Castle, County Durham.

SCH has doubled its staff numbers over the last four years and is hoping to increase its current number of 42 by around eight.