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East Yorkshire firms are playing a key role in the build of new hospitals in the battle against coronavirus.

Hull's Kingston Modular Systems and Brandesburton-based Premier Modular are working around the clock to create intensive care unit wards desperately needed by the NHS.

Kingston had a brand new 28-bed Covid-19 ward dropped off in London last weekend - to cater for sick patients in the worst affected part of the nation - and it is straight on to the next project for a Leicestershire hospital.

The incredible ward was built at the Stockholm Road plant and then transported to where it will house patients fighting the virus that has already claimeed 3,000 lives in the 海角视频 alone.

The units usually take between six and eight weeks to assemble but, with NHS projects now prioritised, they were able to build the impressive ward in just 鈥渢hree to four鈥�.

Kris Robinson, the firm鈥檚 commercial director, said production of the unit ramped when the coronavirus outbreak began and that, despite some staff members having to self-isolate, the company managed to pull together when it needed to most.

鈥淲e are just so proud of what we are doing as a small business,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen the coronavirus outbreak began, everything got ramped up to get it delivered and onto site so it could get used for coronavirus.

鈥淔ourteen guys on the shop floor had symptoms, or their families did so we have been working with less staff too to get it out.

鈥淲e have pulled together to do any NHS stuff. My family work in the NHS so it is good to be able to do what I can to help.

鈥淚t is really, really tough for everybody. Everybody is going through the mill so if we can add something to the effort then it is good news.鈥�

However, there is no opportunity for Kingston Modular to admire the work. A project 18 months in the planning to deliver a new ward to a Leicestershire has been 鈥渁ccelerated鈥� with new plans revealed to turn it into a coronavirus bay.

鈥淚t is in unprecedented times you learn who is prepared to go with you and who isn鈥檛,鈥� Mr Robinson said.

鈥淭he next one going through, that we鈥檙e currently building, is a project that has been in the pipeline for 18 months. They now want it accelerated to go through on Easter weekend.

鈥淥ur clients supply directly into the NHS trusts. We get it delivered onto site and put it together and then they kit it out.鈥�

With many trade suppliers shutting down as part of the lockdown, firms are doing what they can to keep the front line supplied with the tools and materials they need.

Kingston sent out an email to its suppliers thanking them for their support at such a difficult and unprecedented time. One response read 鈥淚t鈥檚 not often you receive a email and it puts a tear into your eye. Well done all at Kingston and let鈥檚 keep working together. We try and give service with a capital 鈥楽鈥�.鈥�

After their next installation at Easter, the firm also have more orders coming in to extend existing modular wards - all of which will continue in the national effort to banish coronavirus.

Out of the city and into rural East Yorkshire, and Premier is working on pods to be sent to the fringes of London, with a 20-week build reduced to three - and it is looking for up to 60 more staff.

David Harris, divisional director, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e a modular building company. We do work for the NHS, education, construction, apartments and retail.

鈥淭here鈥檚 been a big call to action recently from the NHS who are looking at how they can get as many ICU wards as possible set up to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak.

鈥淲e have a modular hire fleet here, so we鈥檙e doing what we can do as quickly as possible.

鈥淭he Government is focusing its efforts on creating temporary capacity - setting up temporary wards in stadiums and things like that. These are unlikely to be enough and they would not be located on hospital sites where all the hospital infrastructure is.鈥�

鈥淐urrently, we鈥檝e taken on two 48-bed ICU ward units, which will be going to Romford Essex. We have to have them ready and handed over in three weeks 鈥� a job that would normally take around 20 weeks.鈥�

More requests for ICU ward units are likely to arrive in the coming days and Premier Modular wants to do all it can to support the nation鈥檚 hospitals.

But in order to continue the scale of their operations the company is looking to take on new workers.

Mr Harris said: 鈥淲e really want to support the country in getting through this. Our only issue is we need more people to support the effort.

鈥淲e currently employ around 250 staff and we could do with another 50 or 60 workers. Obviously, these people will come from Hull and the surrounding area - that鈥檚 where most of our workforce comes from.

鈥淎ll the jobs count as key workers because it鈥檚 part of the emergency effort to support the NHS.鈥�

Due to the necessity of the operation staff at Premier Modular are considered key workers.

The company has put hygiene and safety precautions in place throughout the site to ensure government guidelines are followed.

Mr Harris said staff at the firm have risen to the challenge and have been going the extra mile to help out.

He said: 鈥淚 think our people are concerned about the situation but the workers鈥� reactions have been overwhelmingly positive with people offering to work 24-hour shifts and weekends.

鈥淚 think people see it as an opportunity to do their bit to save lives.

鈥淎nd as a company we鈥檝e put a lot of measures in place in our factory and in the canteen to ensure cleanliness and social distancing. We are fully following Government guidelines.

鈥淥ur workers are delighted to be helping out that鈥檚 been the overwhelming feeling here.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think any of us want to be in the position where we鈥檙e not able to produce the ward units.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got the modules, we just need the labour.鈥�

The firm is looking to take on joiners, semi-skilled workers, electricians and plumbers, and it comes as building sites and non-essential work shuts down.

The Humber has a strong base in the sector, with caravan, holiday lodge, motorhome and other vehicle conversion businesses based across both banks, as well as the 海角视频's largest kitchen business - Wren.聽聽

If you can help, call Premier Modular as soon as possible on 01964 545000 or visit .