Luton Airport

What They Asked For

London Luton Airport required a large-scale refurbishment and restoration package across three major aircraft hangars. The scope represented one of the most comprehensive airport maintenance programmes undertaken at the facility.

The works included:

• Full roof restoration
• Cut-edge corrosion treatment
• Commercial pressure washing and surface preparation
• Liquid roof coating application
• Skylight replacement
• Internal decoration works
• Cladding spraying
• Cladding replacement.

All work had to be delivered within a live airport environment. This meant operating under strict aviation safety protocols, coordinating around aircraft movements, and maintaining full operational capability throughout the project.

What We Did

ACS successfully restored three huge aircraft hangars at London Luton Airport, delivering a complete refurbishment package across roofing, cladding, and internal areas. The scale of the project required careful coordination across multiple fronts, with different teams working simultaneously on roofing, cladding, and internal works.

The roof restoration programme began with extensive commercial pressure washing to remove years of contamination from the vast roof surfaces. Given the size of aircraft hangars, this work was significant, and it had to be completed to exacting standards.

Our team then carried out comprehensive, cut-edge corrosion treatment across all affected areas. Aircraft hangars are particularly susceptible to cut-edge corrosion due to their large roof spans and exposure to aviation fuel vapours, moisture, and temperature fluctuations. Treating this corrosion will prevent deterioration and protect the structural integrity of the roof systems for longer.

Next, we applied advanced liquid roof coating systems across the entire roof area of all three hangars. These high-performance coatings provide seamless waterproofing, UV protection, and thermal performance.

The skylight replacement programme improved natural lighting throughout the hangars while upgrading thermal efficiency. They will also reduce energy costs and create better working conditions for maintenance personnel.

External cladding spraying and cladding replacement works restored the hangars’ external appearance while providing long-term protection. Where panels were beyond repair, we replaced and spray-finished them to match the restored sections. This created a uniform appearance across all three structures.

Finally, internal decoration works completed the transformation, with commercial painting services applied throughout internal areas to create clean working environments.

How We Did It

This was a six-month project involving more than 40 operatives, making it one of the largest projects ACS Coatings has completed to date. Managing a workforce of this size across three separate hangars within a live airport environment required exceptional planning, coordination, and project management.

A dedicated site management and supervisory team was also in place throughout the project. This team coordinated daily work, managed health and safety across multiple areas, liaised with airport operations, and ensured smooth delivery of all areas.

Working within a live airport environment presented unique challenges that went far beyond typical commercial building refurbishment projects. As a result, all operatives required security clearance and aviation-specific safety training. All work had to be coordinated around aircraft movements, too, with certain activities restricted during operational hours.

The project also required strict adherence to airport-specific regulations. This included everything from material storage and waste management to hot works permits and emergency procedures. Our experienced management team navigated these requirements efficiently while maintaining progress.

Communication was also essential to the success of this project. Daily coordination meetings with airport facilities management ensured that our activities never conflicted with their operations. And when schedule changes or urgent maintenance issues arose, our team responded flexibly while maintaining overall programme targets.

The scale of the works meant multiple trades and activities progressed simultaneously across the three hangars. Roofing teams worked at height while cladding specialists operated on external elevations and decorators completed internal areas. Coordinating these activities required careful sequencing and supervision to maintain productivity.

The Result

The project delivered a complete transformation of three large airport hangars, with everything completed to the high standards required for the aviation industry. The hangars now benefit from restored roofing systems, protected cladding, improved natural lighting, and refreshed internal finishes that will serve the airport for many years to come.

Key outcomes included:

• Three large airport hangars fully restored across the roofing, cladding, and internal areas.
• Excellent feedback received from London Luton Airport on workmanship and project management.
• High-quality finishes delivered throughout despite the complexity and scale of the works.
• Zero safety incidents across six months and more than 40 operatives.
• Works completed successfully within a highly regulated live airport environment.
• Full compliance with all aviation safety protocols and airport operational requirements.
• Continued relationship and additional works secured with the airport following project completion.

The successful delivery of this major project demonstrates ACS Coatings’ capability to manage large-scale, complex refurbishment programmes in the most demanding environments.

The additional work secured following completion reflects the client’s confidence in our ability to deliver exceptional results under challenging conditions.

This project stands as one of ACS Coatings’ flagship achievements, showcasing our experience in aviation facilities and our project management capabilities. It also shows our ability to scale resources effectively while maintaining the highest quality standards.