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Olympics Minister visits Doncaster firm raising the roof on 2012 Games

016/09
30 January 2009

Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell, will today visit a Doncaster company who are helping to build the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Bridon, who employ 450 workers at their Doncaster plant, is supplying 200 tonnes of steel cables to help support the roof of the 80,000 seater Olympic Stadium. The steel support cables are made from galvanised spiral strand, with the largest cable having a breaking strength in excess of 600 tonnes.

Bridon are a sub-contractor of Watson Steel Structures Ltd, the Bolton Company responsible for the supply and erection of the roof and terrace steelwork for the stadium. Watson Steel Structures in turn are a sub-contractor to Team Stadium who has been contracted by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to build the Olympic Stadium. This contract has helped to maintain the high level of workload at Bridon’s factory.

The visit is the first in a series of trips the Olympics Minister will be making to UK businesses contributing to the London 2012 Games as the construction phase of the project accelerates.

Tessa Jowell said:

“London 2012 is a key part of the Government’s economic recovery plan providing jobs, training, and billions of pounds worth of contracts for UK firms.

“Bridon is a perfect example of the vital role that businesses all over the country are playing in delivering the Olympic and Paralympic Games and in return how the benefits of the games are spreading way beyond London.

“The Olympic stadium will be the focal point of 2012. With the first sections of the Olympic roof going on this week it's great that the people of Doncaster can say 'we helped build that'.”

The ODA and LOCOG expect to award around 7,000 direct contracts generating approximately 75,000 supply chain opportunities over the coming years. Of the 860 companies that have won work with the ODA 98 per cent are UK based, over two-thirds (69 per cent) are small or medium sized businesses and just under half are based outside of London.

Following her visit to Bridon, Tessa Jowell will visit The Northern Racing College, near Doncaster.  The college has been listed as a pre-games equine training camp enabling them to potentially host international equestrian teams preparing for the Games.

Notes for editors

  1. Tessa Jowell will be at Bridon, Balby Carr Bank, Doncaster, DN4 5JQ.
  2. Bridon won its sub-contract from Watson Steel Structures of Bolton.
  3. The steel cables range in diameter from 19mm to 80mm, with the largest cable having a breaking strength in excess of 600 tonnes.
  4. The Northern Racing College is situated in the grounds of Rossington Hall, Great North Road, Doncaster, DN11 0HN.

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