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J & C Joel Wins AsiaWorld-Expo Contract
UK-based drapes specialists J & C Joel won the contract to supply over 300 drapes to the new AsiaWorld-Expo exhibition and events centre at Hong Kong International Airport.
The HK$ 2.35 billion project is a public-private partnership, funded by the Hong Kong SAR government and a private sector consortium including Dragages Hong Kong Ltd and Yu Ming Investments Ltd, with the Airport Authority Hong Kong contributing the land.
Built as a world class exhibition and events venue AsiaWorld-Expo offers over 70,000 square metres of rentable space across 10 halls for trade fairs, conventions, concerts, sports and entertainment events. This state-of-the-art complex was opened on 21st December 2005.
It’s the largest column-free exhibition centre in Hong Kong, and the only exhibition centre located amidst a multi-modal transportation hub.
J&C Joel’s sales manager Suzanne Wynne was contacted by AsiaWorld-Expo and asked to tender for supplying all drapery requirements for the Expo’s arena and exhibition halls. This entailed the manufacture of over 300 individual drapes at two different drop lengths of 18 and 9 metres respectively, consuming over 130 rolls of 1.5 metre wide heavy Black Wool Serge fabric.
Two hundred and twenty-five of the drapes were fitted with an additional row of tie-tapes sewn onto the back at different heights, offering the flexibility of multi drop options on the same curtains.
Wool serge was chosen for its durability and good acoustic properties. J & C Joel’s Black Wool Serge, lends itself ideally to this type of application explains Wynne, as its flame retardancy – to BS5867 pt2B DFR – is not affected by humidity, and the fabric hangs beautifully over extensive drop areas.
Once the contract was confirmed, it was a huge challenge for J&C Joel to meet the six-week manufacturing deadline, requiring massive logistical planning and co-ordination to ensure that all drapes were made to the correct specifications.
J&C Joel is one of the largest curtain manufacturers in the world, with its Sowerby Bridge HQ housing 64,000 sq ft of floor space, 24,000 square feet is used as sewing rooms, split over two floor levels. They were therefore in a prime position to administer and manufacture all the curtains for the Expo in-house.
One sewing room and nine of their most experienced cutters and machinists were dedicated solely to completing this order, which enabled J & C Joel to finish the job and dispatch all drapes to the sea freight container in the short timeframe allowed. “This workroom was just a sea of black drapes throughout the manufacture!” comments Wynne.
Meanwhile, Joel's busy existing order book was accommodated within their second sewing department.
The drapes all arrived at site in time for Asia World-Expo’s December 21st opening ceremony, led by The Honourable Donald Tsang, chief executive of Hong Kong, and senior representatives of the shareholding and management companies.
J & C Joel has worked extensively in the Asian sub continent over the last 15 years. The company is well known and highly respected for attention to detail, quality and service. These attributes all enabled AsiaWorld-Expo to have the confidence that J & C Joel could produce a large order, on time, on budget to the highest quality standards.
Other high profile projects have included supplying drapes and special fabric requirements to The Academy of Arts & Cultural Centre and the Ko Shan Theatre, both in Hong Kong, The Grand Theatre in Shanghai, Bangkok Opera House in Thailand and The National Theatre of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.
13th January 2006
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