Joy as firm secures Olympic Park deal

Around 50 jobs will be created after a West Midlands firm secured a major contract to help in the development of the Olympic Park for 2012.

Barhale Construction Plc of Walsall has been selected to provide the sewer system and pumping station for the park at the London event. The firm, which has offices in Bescot Crescent and Wallows Lane, has won the work through the Olympic Delivery Committee (ODA). Marketing manager south Tony Smee said that it is an 18-month programme.

“It is important that companies in the Black Country and across the West Midlands region act now to make the most of the contracts that will be coming up for tender,” he added.

Businesses can register on-line with the CompeteFor system, which acts like a ‘dating agency’.

It matches companies to opportunities to supply London 2012 contractors.

It is supported by Advantage West Midlands and helps ensure firms in the Black Country will get a slice of the estimated £6 billion of work being allocated.

The CompeteFor system is expected to handle up to a fifth of the supply chain opportunities.

Pipe & Tube Group, of Wolverhampton, has supplied tubing for conveyor belt rollers involved in clearing the Olympic Park and concrete pumping machines supporting the start of construction. And nearly 150 businesses have been automatically referred through CompeteFor to Business Link West Midlands for improvement support.

ODA chairman John Armitt said: “We want to work with the best businesses in the West Midlands, large and small, to deliver the venues and infrastructure for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and a lasting legacy.

“It is a challenging project and we are on track.

“Creating a level playing field to ensure we get the best of business is an important part of this and companies in the West Midlands are showing an encouraging appetite to be part of this once in a lifetime opportunity,” he added.