Our History
SAS ceilings are Made for Generations
Origins (1968–1978)
SAS International’s story began in 1968, when Eddie McElhinney established Principle Ceilings Ltd, a ceiling contracting business that would become the foundation of today’s SAS International.
The company became the UK market leader in the provision of acoustic ceiling solutions on a wide range of projects and also went on to establish CCF, the leading nationwide interior building products distributor.
GCB Headquarters, London
| 1968 | Founded by Eddie McElhinney |
| 1977 | First major project won: CEGB Headquarters, Bristol |
| 1978 | CCF commenced trading |
| 1978 | Business renamed Special Acoustic Services (SAS) |
Expansion Through Acquisitions (1980–1989)
The 1980s saw aggressive expansion as SAS expanded its contracting business across the UK, invested in manufacturing capability and scaled its distribution business. SAS became a one stop shop for all things ceiling related.
Harrods,London
Victoria Station, London
| 1981 | Acquisition of Truline Ceiling Products (TCP) and entering metal ceiling manufacturing |
| 1983 | Acquisition of Horace W Cullum & Manchester Slate Company |
| 1985 | Acquisition of 50% stake in Gema, metal ceiling manufacturer in Switzerland Supply of metal ceilings to Lloyds of London |
| 1986 | Established manufacturing plant in Maybole, Ayrshire Supply of metal ceilings to Broadgate, London |
| 1987 | Construction begins on Bridgend manufacturing facility |
This period transformed SAS from a specialist contractor into a manufacturing-led business with expertise in metal ceilings, acoustics and integrated building systems.
Manufacturing Scale and Internationalisation (1990–1999)
The 1990s established SAS as a major British manufacturer working on global projects.
Stansted Airport, London
Chep Lap Kok, Hong Kong
| 1990 | Bridgend factory officially opens |
| 1991 | Stansted Airport, UK – the first open canopy structure connecting landside and airside |
| 1994 | SAS Contracting management buyout (renamed Astec Projects) |
| 1996 | SAS joint ventured with Lindner to supply and install the Foster & Partners’ designed Chek Lap Kok Airport , Hong Kong |
The opening of the Bridgend facility created the manufacturing platform that remains at the heart of SAS today and enabled the company to support increasingly large international projects.
Global Growth (2000–2009)
The 2000s saw SAS expand globally and significantly increase manufacturing capability.
Charleston Mall, Ireland
St Pancras International, UK
| 2002 | CCF sold to Travis Perkins, with profits reinvested in SAS manufacturing platform SAS supplied 8 Canada Square (HSBC Tower) and 25 Canada Square (Citigroup), twin towers that redefined the London skyline and introduced 1 million sq ft of office space |
| 2003 | SAS supply Vodaphone HQ, Newbury and The Gherkin, 20 St Mary Axe |
| 2005 | SAS Ireland commences trading |
| 2008 | Apollo Park plant opens and SAS diversifies into doors and partitioning |
Global Brand Development (2010–2019)
During this decade SAS extended its international presence and delivered some of its most prestigious projects, at home and abroad.
The completion of Bloomberg HQ became one of SAS’s flagship references and helped establish the company as a leading supplier of architectural metal ceilings for complex, high-profile developments, integrating acoustic, lighting and cooling elements in a single ceiling design.
Muscat Airport, Oman
Bloomberg, London
| 2010 | Dubai office opens |
| 2012 | SAS Australia opens SAS supplies projects across the Middle East including King Saud University, Haramain Station and Jeddah Airport SAS supplies The Shard, London Completion of the supply and install of Westfield Stratford City |
| 2015 | Completion of the redevelopment of Birmingham New Street and Grand Central shopping complex |
| 2016 | Supply of Barangaroo South & International Towers, Sydney |
| 2017 | Completion of 4 year project to supply Muscat International Airport, Oman |
| 2018 | Completion of 5 year supply and install of Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, the single largest project ever delivered by SAS |
| 2019 | New York office opens |
Sustainability and Innovation Leadership (2020–Present)
The most recent phase of SAS’s history has focused on sustainability, circularity and low-carbon construction.
Newark Liberty International Airport, New York
Paddington Stations, London
| 2020 | Opening of SAS International new HQ in Reading, UK |
| 2021 | Newark Liberty Airport, USA Supply all floors of highest tower in the City of London, 22 Bishopsgate |
| 2022 | Elizabeth Line opens with SAS systems in four stations |
| 2023 | Achieves Cradle to Cradle Bronze v4.0 certification Supply Marseille Aiport and Auckland Airport |
| 2026 | Achieves Cradle to Cradle Silver v5.0 certification |
| 2026 | Supply to JP Morgan Flagship HQ, New York Launch of a new visual identity and improved digital customer experience |