Shropshire firms praised for Olympic contracts success
SHROPSHIRE companies which have generated millions of pounds worth of business through Olympic contracts have been held up as examples of best practice to Brazilian delegates looking to boost their country’s economy ahead of its own games in five years time.
UK Trade & Investment said the seven firms were prime examples of how the Olympics could be used to generate revenue.
The delegates from Sao Paulo were in Shropshire to learn how the West Midlands had been able to take advantage of the hugely lucrative market surrounding the 2012 Olympic Games.
The agency is hoping the visit may lead to opportunities for British firms at the 2016 games.
It said a key element of the region’s Olympic legacy strategy was to encourage successful companies to replicate their success by going on to win contracts with the hosts of future world sport events such as the FIFA world cups in Russia and Qatar in 2018 and 2022.
Becky Stark, International Trade Adviser for UKTI’s Shropshire team, said: “São Paulo is the business heartland of Brazil and also the city where any major Brazilian companies wishing to import or export, will have offices. The links we’ve now made with this major city could offer tremendous opportunities to develop trade between the West Midlands and Brazil, in sectors beyond those involved in servicing the Olympic Games.”
The seven companies singled out for praise were:
• Access Design & Engineering Ltd, Telford, which has won contracts for steelwork fabrications for bridges and a metal gallery panel on the Olympic Park.
• A V Birch Ltd, Bridgnorth, which is supplying temporary aluminium walkways for the Water Polo venue on the Olympic Park.
• Elements Europe Ltd, Oswestry which is supplying 285 bathroom ‘pods’, pre-fabricated off-site, for an accommodation block in the Olympic Village.
• Freyssinet Ltd, Telford, which has won a number of contracts including elastomeric bearings for temporary bridges for London 2012.
• Golden Bear Toys Ltd, Telford, which has won the Master Toy Licensee tender to design and supply the mascots for London 2012.
• Merrythought, Ironbridge, which is making the official range of 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games commemorative teddy bears.
• Tension Control Bolts Ltd, Whitchurch, which is supplying specialised bolts to three contractors on the Olympic Park – for the Main Stadium, Aquatics Centre and Velodrome.
Across the region as a whole, more than 300 West Midlands businesses have already won contracts worth over £0.5bn to supply goods and services to the London 2012 games and associated projects.
