Founded in 1998, Firstco are control and communication systems engineers, specialising in the transportation sector.  Working predominately in airports, railways and intermodal operations our clients include infrastructure owners, operators, engineering consultancies, construction contractors and systems solution providers. Our experience includes the technologies and solutions commonly grouped as Communications, Security, Operational and Control & Monitoring systems, and often referred to as IT, ICT, SAS or ELV systems.

Based in London, we now employ over 80 staff and work extensively across the UK. We have grown into an international consultancy and system integrator with projects in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and we are currently exploring expansion into Asia and America.

As systems engineers we work throughout the asset lifecycle; consulting, delivering and supporting the growing number of technologies used to automate operational people and process.

Working from strategy to operations, Firstco specify, design, deliver, commission, integrate, trial, transition, support and maintain systems. We also specialise in stakeholder, interface, requirements and assurance management which are an increasingly complex and critical part of any infrastructure programme.

By remaining product-independent, we can help our customers to select the right solutions then ensure that they are configured to achieve effective and efficient operations. Our Technical Innovation Group work with emerging technologies and solution/product suppliers to identify opportunities and business benefits for introducing new solutions into high integrity environments.

A modern airport will have more than 150 systems with constantly developing and converging technologies, which are critical to safety, security and operation. In the world of ‘big data’, airport operators require increasing interoperability to efficiently manage their sites, and their stakeholders, regulators and passengers expect and demand easy access to a greater level of real-time data. However, with increasing global security issues and the advent of cyber threats, the need for secure, robust and resilient solutions has never been greater.

As existing airports continue to expand and new airports are constructed, it is imperative that the technology systems are considered from the outset and delivered as an integral part of the overall programme. The prerequisites and interfaces with the architecture, civil engineering, baggage and M&E solutions must be managed throughout to avoid costly delays at the point when the project hands over into the live operational environment.

Firstco’s broad experience over all these technologies, and throughout the entire asset lifecycle allows for a Value Assured Engineering approach to oversee the end-to-end solution, engaging the right specialist contractors at the right time in the process, to ensure quality on-time, on-budget delivery.

Firstco have worked at London Heathrow Airport for 20 years and have been involved throughout the major airport development programmes and in day-to-day operations.

Development programmes include:

•       Terminal 2 and Eastern Campus – Information and Control Systems (ICS)

-       ICS Design Leadership – strategy, scope, requirements, concept

-       ICS Scheme Design – Master Systems Integrator

-       DMI (Design, Manage, Integrate) – ICS technical assurance through delivery

•       Terminal 5

-       T5 Rail & Tunnels Guidance Team – design & commissioning leadership

-       T5 Rail & Tunnels Comms and Controls – design, delivery and integration

-       Airside Road Tunnel – control systems design and project management

-       Energy Centre and Control Tower – commissioning management

•       Heathrow Express

-       Station systems, original design and build, into operation

-       Extension of systems to Terminal 5 subsurface station and tunnels      -    Support and maintenance for 15 years

Engineering and operational solutions include:

Firstco are framework suppliers for SCADA across the airport

•       HEART – utilities control and monitoring

•       Heathrow Pods – automated people movers

•       APOC – airport centralised command and control facility

•       FAMS – centralised fire alarm monitoring across all terminals

•       Campus-wide metering and energy management

•       Baggage Handling Systems (BHS)

Support and maintenance of Heathrow’s systems, including:

•       Heathrow Rail

•       Heathrow Pods

•       FAMS

EMS

In addition to our work at London Heathrow Airport, Firstco have worked on UK aviation projects including:

•       Gatwick Airport – North Terminal redevelopment, Pier 3 expansion options, airfield utilities control & monitoring

•       Manchester Airports Group – London Stansted Airport Tracked Transit System (TTS) / Automated People Mover (APM) control system, utilities monitoring

•       Birmingham Airport – Airport Operation Systems specifications

Middle East airports including:

•       UAE – Dubai International, Dubai World Central and Abu Dhabi International

•       Oman – Muscat International and Salalah airports

•       Qatar – New Doha International Airport

•       Saudi Arabia – Jeddah, Madinah and Riyadh airports

•      Other GCC – Kuwait and Bahrain airports

Foster + Partners is a global studio for architecture, urbanism and design, rooted in sustainability, founded fifty years ago in 1967 by Norman Foster.  Since then, he and the team around him have established an international practice with a worldwide reputation for thoughtful and pioneering design, working as a single studio that is ethnically and culturally diverse.  The studio integrates the skills of architecture with engineering - structural and environmental - urbanism, interior and industrial design, model and film making and many more.  These diverse skills make us capable of tackling a wide range of projects of considerable complexity and scale.

Fujitsu is a leading global technology company focusing on business-to-business (B2B) solutions. Fujitsu's commitment to innovation/services and its proven track record in delivering impactful solutions make it the ideal partner for aviation industry seeking to navigate the complexities of the digital era and shape the future of flight.

Established in 1935 and headquarter in Kawasaki, Japan Fujitsu is renowned as one of the largest service providers, offering a comprehensive range of technology products, solutions, and services. With a declared purpose of ‘making the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation’ Fujitsu’s portfolio supports a large array of business problems and solutions in the dynamic landscape of the technology industry. Fujitsu, empowers aviation organisations to thrive in the digital age. Fujitsu, a global technology leader, empowers aviation organisations to thrive in the digital age. By converging cutting-edge technologies like 5G/6G, Quantum Computing, and AI, Fujitsu delivers transformative solutions that enhance operational efficiency, elevate passenger experiences, and strengthen security. With deep industry expertise and a comprehensive suite of capabilities, Fujitsu's Aviation team acts as an end-to-end partner. From strategic consulting and cybersecurity to network design and systems integration, Fujitsu guides clients through their digital transformation journey. By leveraging Fujitsu's expertise, aviation organizations can optimize processes, unlock new possibilities, and achieve sustainable growth.

By leveraging Fujitsu's expertise to increase digital posture, aviation organizations can optimize processes, unlock new possibilities, and achieve sustainable growth. The Aviation team acts as an end-to-end partner. From strategic consulting and cybersecurity to network design and systems integration, Fujitsu guides clients through their digital transformation journey. By leveraging Fujitsu's expertise, aviation organizations can optimize processes, unlock new possibilities, and achieve sustainable growth.

With over 6,700 professionals, in 52 global locations for 54 years, Gensler provides planning, landscape, architecture, design and strategic consulting services to clients worldwide.

GHD is a leading technical, advisory and engineering consultancy operating in the global markets of transportation, environment, water, energy, property and buildings.  Our Aviation Service Line employs over 100 dedicated professionals with global expertise covering airside and landside infrastructure across concept, design, construction and operations. 

In the UK, we are actively involved in aviation projects at a number of airports supporting the delivery of our clients' capital and maintenance infrastructure programmes. We are interested in engaging with potential partners and suppliers to build collaborative teams in line with our client service led culture.

Gillespie is the original designer and manufacturer of GRG, named Zerodec.  An ideal product for internal architectural cladding due to it being light weight, strong.  Class O fire rated and mouldable to complex 3d shapes.  It has been used in airports and transport hubs worldwide for decades.  Most recently 13,000 bespoke ceiling light units at Doha Metro stations in preparation for the Qatar World Cup.

Grimshaw is an international architecture firm that specialises in transport projects of national importance. Grimshaw is highly regarded in this particular sector for providing design leadership to projects that have strict cost, programme and highly aspirational outcomes at their core. Our portfolio of completed work includes projects in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Australia, North America and Mexico. The practice specialises in helping aviation clients de carbonise their estates through efficient master planning and building designs which benefit from extensive experience in long-span structures and efficient form-finding parametrics. These skills support Grimshaw's on-going research and development thesis, including low-cost carrier terminal buildings. Grimshaw have committed to net zero carbon designs by 2025.

Sustainability Capabilities 

Grimshaw are fully committed to helping our clients deliver sustainable aviation infrastructure. We pride ourselves in creating master planning, infrastructure and building designs that push the boundaries in social and environmental regenerative design. We are committed to delivering only net zero carbon designs by 2025 and our highly skilled architects bring a people-centric approach to their focus on the key issues in aviation today.

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) is an international architecture practice with offices in New York, London, Shanghai, Seoul and Abu Dhabi. KPF has designed airports around the globe, including Dulles International Airport, USA; Abu Dhabi Airport Midfield Terminal, UAE; and Nanning Wuxu International Airport in China. KPF was recently selected, with Heatherwick Studio, for the design of Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 5.

KPF has a long history of developing transportation facilities and transit-oriented developments that emphasise the importance of the passenger experience, instilling a powerful sense of place whilst also communicating the joy of travel through architectural expression.

Transportation systems are inexorably linked with worldwide economic, cultural, and technological growth. We aim to foster global connectivity through well-designed and secure facilities that provide clear circulation, comfortable surroundings and environmental sensitivity. Our designs also offer flexibility to accommodate the changing needs and technologies of modern travel.

KPF provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors. Our extensive portfolio, which spans more than 35 countries, features a wide range of projects from airports and transportation facilities to civic, cultural and commercial spaces - including office, hotel and residential buildings. 

Millar Management provide airport design services specialising in baggage system, baggage concept designs and baggage facility design. Services include: Definition of user requirements, data modelling, facility and system design including Std3 HBS Check-in (including bag drop) sortation systems, early bag stores, flight make up, off-loads, arrivals carousels, customs screening, technical specifications, 3D CAD/BIM design, testing and commissioning and operational readiness.

Mima have over 40 years’ experience in solving problems through understanding how people think and behave.  We use these insights in the design process to make usable and accessible spaces, services, and products - physically, operationally and digitally.  We bring together a mix of complementary disciplines, including human factors and ergonomics, service design, wayfinding and information design, interior design and accessibility and inclusive design. 

Our work with airports covers four main areas:

We are Morgan Sindall, the construction, infrastructure and design division of Morgan Sindall Group plc, a leading UK and construction and regeneration group. Our company is organised through five businesses of Infrastructure, Tunnelling, Construction, Utility Services and Design. We deliver public and private sector projects of all sizes. Baker Hicks is a leading design consultancy practice specialising in the design of aviation facilities and infrastructure. With over 25 years of experience in delivering facilities for the aviation sector, we offer a comprehensive and flexible approach to working with our customers in helping them achieve and exceed their expectations. We aim to create great results for our customers, partners and ourselves, by providing expertise across a broad range of market sectors. We also collaborate with our sister companies within Morgan Sindall Group to maximise our offering to customers. Airports are unique environments and require a special approach for engineering and construction activity. We have multi-disciplined capabilities, providing multi-disciplined aviation services including pavement and apron works, control tower and terminal construction, tunnelling, and installation of baggage handling facilities. Our aviation customers benefit from our experience as the only UK construction company to provide in-house capabilities across the entire range of airport services (airfield works, terminal construction and baggage handling system installation). This includes control tower and energy centre construction, terminal construction and modernisation, and apron, taxiway and runway works - we are one of the country’s leading airfield pavement contractors, having worked on runways and pavements at more than 20 major UK airports. Because we have built airport terminal buildings, check-in and baggage handling facilities as well as hangars, retail units and lounge areas, we have an in-depth understanding of the security implications of working airside. To assist our customers in meeting capital investment targets and regulatory deadlines, we work closely with airport stakeholders, employees and corporate bodies. This is coupled with a focus on maintaining ‘business as usual’ in live environments, and ensuring that passenger disruption is minimised. Customers also receive the benefit of our expertise in other sectors including rail, roads, bridges, energy, tunnelling and also defence, where we have completed hangar and airfield work.

Since its inception in 1965 OMK have focused on providing design led solutions to the furniture industry. As the market leader in terminal seating systems, the company has now supplied over 350 airports worldwide. Their experienced in house design team has developed a range of three distinct seating systems to suit all operational areas within the airport environment. OMK have received over 30 international design awards. As a testament to their quality they are all independently tested by to withstand the most rigorous use and carry a 25 year structural guarantee.

Pascall+Watson are an award-winning international design practice with studios in the UK, Ireland and the Middle East. We are experts in the field of aviation design with global experience in airport masterplanning, terminal design, passenger modelling, wayfinding and all airport building types. Our reputation for designing and delivering complex projects has been founded on a collaborative and customer orientated approach. With over sixty years’ unrivalled experience, we provide a unique perspective to aviation design.

Ramboll is a leading aviation consultancy with the delivery of airport facilities and infrastructure, encompassing more than 600 completed projects in over 50 countries across the world. In the UK we have worked or are working at most of the major airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Manchester, Glasgow & Edinburgh. The airport projects that we have delivered range from strategic advisory, due diligence, masterplanning, project management, environmental and social impact, engineering design through to construction supervision, from the delivery of whole solutions for airport projects to specialised bespoke support. From major international airport hubs through to small regional airports serving the local community. At Ramboll to deliver innovative and award winning solutions we are able to draw upon not just our airport specialists but our expertise from across the world including off site manufacture, air quality, carbon management, ground remediation, fire safety, acoustics, energy, waste, geotechnics, tunnels, environmental engineering, transport planning and economic planning This is combined with local insight from our 300 offices across the globe to deliver world class airport solutions locally. We approach every project with a commitment to deliver inspiring solutions that deliver sustainable environments. Ramboll has been a leading thinker in defining new sustainability criteria tailored to a development as bespoke and complex as an airport terminal and producing innovative airfield designs that deliver long term performance and safety at a reasonable cost.

With over 115 years industry experience, Robson is a fourth generation family owned UK materials handling provider. Developing innovative solutions to address your end-to-end baggage handling system requirements. With a comprehensive portfolio of high quality baggage handling integrated products with clear design and engineering capabilities. Proven by decades of industry experience.

Operating from its headquarters in Sheffield, Robson delivering single products to full integrated systems incorporating the latest highly efficient technologies. From initial enquiry, 3D design, point cloud survey, project management, manufacture, EDS integration, controls, SCADA, installation, commissioning, validation. A full range of proactive and reactive Robson life-cycle solutions are provided, including refurbishment, spares, servicing and maintenance packages. Increasing the life of your system and significantly reducing costly down-time.

We are a global design leader ranked in the UK Top 10 and within the Global Top 100 architectural practice.  We have a Vision to transform the industry and enrich lives through the built environment to create a better world. 

We undertake projects across all major sectors from business space, education, residential and mixed use through to advanced technologies, hospitality, civic and cultural, transport and defence. We have studios across the UK in London, Edinburgh, Guildford and Cardiff and international studios in New York, Singapore and Amsterdam. These together with strategic alliances in the Middle East and Hong Kong enable us to serve our growing international client and project base. We live for opportunities to push ourselves, creatively, in business and as a team.

Highly experienced in the design and delivery of aviation schemes, projects include award-winning Istanbul Airport and Medina Airport, a large number of airports throughout the Middle East and an extensive portfolio of work with Gatwick and Heathrow Airports.

Sika has been manufacturing construction solutions since 1910, and is a leading global manufacturer of specialist construction products. Based in 100+ countries, we have global coverage to supply our products and services in the following areas: Architectural and structural concrete, Structural waterproofing, Roof waterproofing, Flooring, Steel corrosion and fire protection, Sealing and bonding, seismic movement joint seals.  With a specialist team in the UK to support your local and international schemes, Sika’s Major Project Team will manage your enquiries ensuring you have a single contact in the UK to efficiently manage your needs. Sika’s products have been used on many of the latest international airport developments.

Thales ATM, a world leader in Air Traffic Management, offers a comprehensive range of CNS/ATM (Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management) solutions from design and integration to installation and maintenance. Thales ATM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Thales, a world leader in professional electronics for civil and military markets. With over 40 years' experience, operations in six countries and customers in over 170 countries, Thales ATM is fully dedicated to the civil aviation community. Thales ATM's portfolio of products and services embraces air traffic control centres and tower systems, surveillance and detection systems, navigational aids and communications systems.

The Design Solution is a company specialising in planning, architecture and design. Formed in 1984 we are based in central London. Our expertise lies in the retail, commercial and leisure sectors. For the last 40 years we have worked extensively in the airport sector both in the UK and overseas.  Our skills lie in planning great commercial areas and designing airport environments to delight the passenger, always with the aim of maximising airports non aviation revenues.

WestonWilliamson+Partners is a multi-disciplinary architectural practice with an award-winning history of design and delivery of mainly major transport projects. 2015 marked our 30th anniversary, three decades over which we have worked on some of the largest infrastructure projects in the UK and abroad. We are now bringing our years of experience to the aviation sector. Alex Kirkwood, a well recognised aviation expert, and his team have joined us, bringing world-class experience in airport design & delivery to our practice. This includes a number of large-scale airport developments; T2A Heathrow Airport, KAIA International Airport, Istanbul New Airport, T2 Dublin and T5A Heathrow Airport. Alex, the airport team-lead, has overseen all stages of design development including design leadership, client interface, stakeholder consultations, project brief development, contract administration, change management and site supervision.