Northern Ireland fit-out company the Deluxe Group has secured a £30 million (€34.9 million) contract for a cruise ship interior in Germany.
The company, which is based in Portadown, Co Armagh, and employs about 180 people, specialises in “experiential interiors” in themed entertainment sectors such as hospitality, cruise ship and theme parks.
The cruise ship is scheduled to set sail in the Far East in 2025. The company’s team will spend 12 months fitting out dining and entertainment spaces on board the new vessel.
The company, which says it will use 3D digital technology for both design and manufacturing to meet the project deadlines, said demand for its services is increasing as themed and immersive entertainment venues are becoming more popular on cruise ships.
Deluxe executive chairman Colm O’Farrell said: “Clients seeking to bring to life their imaginative concepts now see the Deluxe Group as a one-stop shop with our in-house design, joinery and composites workshops pushing the boundaries of creative fabrication.”
Over the past three years, the company has seen a 45 per cent increase in export sales, with more than half of its turnover coming from international projects in countries such as Japan, Spain and the United States, where it now has a base.
Its most recent available results show the group made a profit of £562,542 in 2002, which was down by about a third from £832,958 the year before. That was on turnover of £19.4 million, which was up 20 per cent from £15.4 million in 2021.
In the UK, the company also delivers luxury interiors for hospitality venues, high-end retail spaces and branded residential developments such as the Old War Office by Raffles in London.
“With our new subsidiary in Florida, the home of both the cruise and themed entertainment industries, we are well positioned to grow our share of the expanding experience economy,” Mr O’Farrell added.
Steve Harper, executive director of international business and skills at Invest Northern Ireland, said Deluxe was a company “committed to growing in new markets”.
“It is brilliant to see this new contract win build upon its impressive portfolio,” he added. “Wins like this are an example of how the advice and guidance of our trade and in-market teams has a direct impact on a company’s export success.”