Structure serves Royal Navy’s fleet

Award-winning marquee manufacturer Custom Covers (1984) Ltd. has played a part in the completion of HMS Daring, the first of The Royal Navy’s fleet of Type 45 destroyers.

The Hampshire-based company designed, manufactured and supplied a ceremonial “awning” for the ship, which hundreds of people flocked to greet as she moored in Portsmouth on January 28, 2009.

Custom Covers was awarded the contract to work on the ship— hailed by its creators as the most powerful and advanced vessel of its time—because of its specialist skills for industrial covers. It is a big accolade for Custom Covers as the Type 45 destroyers will be the flagships of The Royal Navy fleet and will provide the backbone of the UK’s naval air defenses for much of the next 50 years. The company, based in Southampton, was also commissioned to design, manufacture and supply similar structures for the other five ships in Daring’s fleet.

A team of 30 worked on the project from concept to completion, working around strict Royal Navy guidelines and requirements, making sure that existing fittings were used to attach the structure to the flight deck. For more information, visit www.customcovers.co.uk.