Building services firm Skerritt has secured 18.2m in contracts to provide M&E services for nearly 700 new inmates at HMP Nottingham and Kent's HMP Swaleside.
The Nottingham-based firm has a turnover of £42m and prison contracts accounting for 55% of it. Willmott Dixon, who awarded Skerritt the contract, is working to help create extra capacity at prisons.

Skerritt will install M&E services to ancillary buildings as part of a project to build new cell block facilities for 510 extra inmates at Nottingham and a new 180-cell block in Kent.

Skerritt has a £7.2m contract to supply M&E services as part of modernisation work in the segregation block, gym and education building and car parking upgrades at the category B security prison.

The £11m Nottingham contract is the latest phase of extended works which included a new 178-cell block. The old Victorian wings in the centre of the prison are earmarked for redevelopment to bring facilities up to scratch for a larger population of 1,000 or more prisoners.

Skerritt will supply m&e services as well as CCTV, general and fire alarm services outside the new cell block. Their work includes re-siting a new energy centre to supply services for the entire prison complex.

FG Skerritt was established as a plumbing firm in 1899 by Francis Skerritt. The company is now owned by former employee, Nat Puri, and currently employs 300 people.

Skerritt MD Stuart Hill said: 'Skerritt has an outstanding 25-year track record specialising in building and electrical services for the prison sector and already have 200 trained operatives who are experienced in working in a prison environment'.