The Formula: high quality, good prices, professional finishings… exceptional expertise!

Design & Build felt that it was time to meet up again with Stephen Cachia of Xuereb Installations to further examine the kind of projects they are currently handling. He explained that notwithstanding the fact that they currently have around 60 projects on their order books, they are successfully striving to cope with this demand.

In particular, the projects also include five large sites where the pressure is obviously greater since they require more attention to detail…. more supplies … more logistical precision – this is where Xuereb Installations truly shine.

At the moment, explained Stephen, the company is working on different high-profile projects – including the Empire Hotel, the Fortina Bet 365 project, and others – where high-spec services are the order of the day particularly regarding the supply and installation of gypsum boards, glazed partitions, floor tiles, and such like as per their contractual requirements. He explained that they would be responsible to supply and install anything from partitioning to ceilings, flooring etc.

“We are really turnkey suppliers of these finishes and similar requirements,” he added. “Leading the team is our director and then the works responsibility falls on myself and the relative project manager, and the works programme is thus planned out to be able to satisfy all the clients’ expectations. Each project then has its own site manager who, in a way, is actually the foreman of works for each separate project.

“In most cases we rely on our own workers to finish the jobs. And in those times when we want to call in extra muscle to ensure compliance to our terms of work, these are chosen by their track record and trustworthiness to do the job professionally, as per our values and exigencies. Many times, these are people we have been collaborating with for years on end, who we know by reputation and directly shared experience; who have the relative credentials, experience and know-how required. We cannot cut corners here either because, at the end, there is our company’s reputation which is at stake,” Stephen clearly explained.

It was clear to us that maintaining the required standards to service clients was – and remains – the prime requisite for Xuereb Installations. Stephen added that over the 30 or so years they have been in operation, they have learned to recognise which subcontractors are able to produce the level of professionalism that they require and those which are “not quite up to scratch.”

This kind of attention to detail that they require even goes for the materials that they use; to be certain that they only offer their clients the best, they directly import their own materials. “We have noted through our experiences that our success is based on a formula comprising the high quality of the materials we offer, the price itself that we put on our services for supplying a professional job and, obviously, the high level of expertise that we provide as a company,” he explained.

“our success is based on a formula comprising the high quality of the materials we offer, the price itself that we put on our services for supplying a professional job and, obviously, the high level of expertise that we provide as a company”

Stephen is adamant that every client ought to be aware of why a competitive offer by other supply companies is occasionally lower than theirs – “as most probably it is based on the elements of cheaper quality of materials provided and on cheaper qualities of scale resulting with the client eventually incurring more expenses in the long term,” he claimed. “We know what our costs are and cannot go below them. But we have to be competitive and we always strive to find the right balance. Most clients do appreciate this and appreciate our terms, even when big tenders are involved,” explained Stephen.

CURRENT MAJOR PROJECT

We asked Stephen about a current and significant project and he spoke about the new Fortina Bet 365 project in Sliema. He added that currently the works are at a very advanced stage; the basic infrastructural works that are required for these finishes are already in place and they are working on putting up the soffits, partitions, laying of tiles, inserting doors, fire products etc.

“we validate logistics, thus ensuring a constant and precise flow of raw materials to the site”

“We liaise regularly with the client’s own project manager so that the works move as smoothly as possible. There is also regular contact with the client’s own architects and their interior designers; so that everything moves smoothly in every department. This means that there are meetings at least twice weekly to forward plan the works for the coming weeks, to make sure that we have the required manpower on sight and with clear instructions of what is required. This is done so that we validate logistics, thus ensuring a constant and precise flow of raw materials to the site.

“Everything is time scheduled so that our clients’ targets are met, with our employees knowing full well the risks involved including hefty penalties if we do not meet these time deadlines. We are always aware that we are the last stage of the construction process – the finishes – so there are further extra pressures on meeting the deadlines. When such is required, there are no weekends or holidays because when it comes to delivering on time, nothing must stop us.

“It’s hands-on for all of us” he said, adding that “our director Frank Xuereb is also very much on the ball on all this and he is very involved in ensuring that every step is done as it should be. He has gained a reputation for this company of being very hard working. That’s very important for us to be known by, Stephen explained. “Our reputation states that we never miss a deadline. Our staff too share into this philosophy, and they are paid well for it.”

“This creates complexity, which we are glad to handle”

One can understand this especially when the company is basically working on many different needs and uses, especially with soffits and gypsum partitioning where fire retardant materials are often required too, which obviously Xuereb Installations also supplies. “Many projects,” he added, “require a multi-faceted range of materials for the same project. This creates complexity, which we are glad to handle.”

Certain client specifications require the installation of heat insulation partitioning while others request sound insulation – or both – and these are also two emerging factors the company can effectively implement. The fact is that clients are becoming more and more knowledgeable and thus more exigent in their requests… “so one has to be perfectly capable to match such requests as soon as they are given,” added Stephen. He explained that the fact that they import their own materials grants them the full back up of suppliers; a competitive advantage, both from a knowledgeable point but also from a price and efficiency one, such that their clients feel comfortable discussing these specialised issues.

COORDINATING THE WORK LOAD

Design & Build was interested to learn how the company manages to cope and coordinate the plethora of requirements involved in their work, seeing the involvement of HR planning on different sites and planning the supply of material stocking for all these important projects that they are known to handle. Stephen explained that there are two stages involved here: “The first stage involves the store keepers who look after ensuring that our stores are always well stocked with most materials needed to be able to cope with even the most urgent requests.

“Secondly, there is the internal liaison between our negotiating staff – who are working on proposals – and those actually working out the relative quotations so that once it is understood that the potential client is looking positively at our proposals then the message goes down the supply chain to ensure that the stocks required will be available once the project agreement is finalised.” materials

the fact that they import their own materials grants them the full back up of suppliers; a competitive advantage, both from a knowledgeable point but also from a price and efficiency one

He also related how certain problems overseas can put spokes in the wheels as happened some time ago; some of their orders were delayed in various countries of origin…. including as far away as Turkey, causing the backlog of about 18 different containers of materials waiting to arrive simultaneously and to be unloaded in their stores.

if something very specific is required then orders will be placed immediately for their supply

“On the other hand,” added Stephen, “if something very specific is required then orders have to be placed immediately for their supply. Such was the case with the Hyatt Regency Malta Hotel where the gypsum partitioning required the use of certain metal studs of a specific gauge which is not normally used locally. This was then imported specifically for the job and to the client’s satisfaction.”

It is obvious that having the required high level of experience and know-how in this field is a vital asset to ensure a satisfactory and efficient job well done. This is why you will find that they have been brought in on certain top hospitality projects, like the new Empire Studio Apartments in St Julian’s, and on other major refurbishing projects, such as at Havana in Paceville. And when we had a sneak look into their order book for upcoming orders for 2022 we saw more St Julian’s hotels and a number of boutique hotels elsewhere requiring their extensive expertise and input. It looks like that the 18 containers which all arrived together will soon need refilling!