The firm has been awarded two deals totalling nearly £34m to build the first generation of Rapid Deployment Cells forming part of the wider programme to install 1,000 cells at 18 prison sites, the majority delivered this year.

The first £22m deal will see Alegeco supply 396 units across several locations including at HMP Norwich in Norfolk where the first batch of cells  has just been installed.

Wave 2a, valued at £12m, will see a further 215 units supplied across further locations.

Rapid Deployment Cells have a lifespan of around 15 years and are designed to quickly create extra capacity across the prison system estate to meet rising demand, while longer-term expansion is underway.

Minister for Prisons and Probation Damian Hinds said: “Prison cells protect the public by making sure we have enough space to put dangerous offenders behind bars – that’s why we’re investing £4 billion to deliver 20,000 extra places.

“We’re rolling out a thousand Rapid Deployment Cells to create extra spaces quickly while we press ahead with the biggest expansion of prisons in over a century – building six new jails and creating thousands of additional cells by renovating and expanding existing sites.

“The first rapid cells at HMP Norwich are already boosting capacity while our multi-million-pound renovation of the Elizabeth Fry wing will create long-term places to protect the public.”

James Withey, Managing Director at Algeco offsite, said: “Utilizing DFMA and Lean Manufacturing, along with our platform based approach, will deliver high quality units across these multiple locations.

“The temporary accommodation we have already supplied to the Ministry of Justice was to a very high standard, which we will continue with these longer-term structures.”