Call for West Midlands businesses to bid for HS2 work

Construction of the first phase of Britain’s new railway, between Birmingham and London, is expected to generate around 400,000 contract opportunities. And as part of the Government’s drive to build back better from the pandemic, it wants to see British businesses capitalise on the £25bn worth of opportunities that are expected to flow out into the wider supply chain over the coming years.

The one-hour business webinar, which will be held on Tuesday, June 22 at 11am, will include an opening address from the Minister, as well as the opportunity to hear from local firms who are already working on the project. They will share their personal experiences of how HS2 has helped their business to grow, along with tips and advice on how to stand out as a winning bidder.

Mr Stephenson said: “HS2 is at the heart of the Government’s commitments to build back better after the Covid-19 pandemic, level up communities and drive economic growth across the country.

"The vast majority of contracts on HS2 have gone to British businesses, so I’d encourage businesses to get involved and take the opportunities offered by this once in a generation investment in our country’s transport infrastructure.”

Sitting at the heart of the HS2 network, businesses in the region are well placed to bid for work and secure their place in HS2’s supply chain, which already includes over 2,000 businesses – 97 per cent of which are UK-based.

The West Midlands is home to some of the UK’s most recognised talent pools and leads the way in the construction, automotive, logistics, metals and materials and digital rail sectors. But HS2’s supply chain team is eager to spread the word that the share of opportunity extends far beyond the products and services you might traditionally associate with major infrastructure projects.

Robin Lapish, HS2’s supply chain manager explained: “HS2’s footprint across the region is huge, and the scale of work that will be delivered into the next decade and beyond presents a vast opportunity.

“In the current climate, local businesses are looking for confidence and assurance in the supply chain and a contract with HS2 provides that. My advice to small businesses is to invest an hour of your time - HS2 isn’t just about track and trains, and that’s exactly what this webinar will demonstrate.”

The business webinar is free to attend. To register attendance, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hs2-how-can-west-midlands-businesses-get-involved-tickets-158096337401