Engineering business goes nuclear with £20m contract

Heavy engineering firm DavyMarkham is creating 50 jobs after securing a £20m contract with its sister company.

DavyMarkham will be manufacturing nuclear waste containers for Alfreton-based Amber Precast to help with the safe decommissioning of nuclear facilities in a four-year joint venture called AID Technologies UK.

The company will design, test and construct six cubic metre reinforced steel and concrete containers for 12 nuclear sites in the UK for Magnox.

The Sheffield firm, whose history can be traced back 186 years, will create a specialist team of workers at its factory in Prince of Wales Road, Darnall.

Magnox will require more than 1,000 of these boxes to store various types of intermediate level waste (ILW) generated during the operational and early decommissioning phases of its UK power stations.

Containers will be stored in purpose-built facilities at nuclear sites until the UK’s national repository becomes available.

DavyMarkham managing director Bill Clark said: “Being awarded this supply contract for concrete ILW containers is a step forward for DavyMarkham in its drive to become the UK leader in providing high integrity containers to the nuclear industry.

“It’s good to see the Government and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) supporting strategic UK manufacturing companies which benefits the UK’s nuclear decommissioning industry as well as securing UK jobs.

“Importantly it also provides UK manufacturers export opportunities with overseas buyers who are looking for innovative, high integrity products in support of safe decommissioning.”

This latest contract follows DavyMarkham’s appointment of John Cheek, who has 35 years’ experience in nuclear work, as nuclear and defence director.

Alongside focusing on its nuclear credentials, it continues to maintain its interest and involvement in big infrastructure projects such High Speed Rail 2, tunnel boring and tidal turbine projects and the global mine hoist market.

Pictured: Mark Johnson, Amber Precast managing director, Gary Ward, projects programme manager, Magnox and John Cheek, nuclear & defence director DavyMarkham