Welsh firms have already won gold from London 2012

As part of his trip on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 January, Mr Armitt will visit:

• Cardiff-based Euroclad that has won contracts on both the Olympic Stadium and the Media Centre
• Wagtail a Flintshire-based company that supplied sniffer dogs for the security team working on the Olympic Park
• Vannplastic from Saltney that produced decking boards for the new facilities at Weymouth and Portland where the Sailing events will take place in 2012.

John Armitt said: 'Businesses from Wales have already made the most of the golden opportunities that are available to companies across the UK with contracts totalling millions of pounds. For example, Rowecord from Newport have helped build the Aquatics Centre roof, an architectural jewel which has already changed east London’s skyline and will be one of the first things that thousands of spectators will see as they enter the Olympic Park.

'While the bulk of the ODA’s direct contracts have now been awarded, there are still opportunities through the UK-wide supply chain and with the London 2012 Organising Committee. Companies should sign up to CompeteFor, the business website, to be part of a unique opportunity to showcase UK plc to the world.'

Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, said: 'Welsh businesses have already won significant contracts which is very important in these challenging economic conditions. We have also heard that companies winning contracts are also benefiting from an enhanced profile associated with the prestigious nature of the work.

'The Welsh Assembly Government is supporting the online CompeteFor service to maximise the economic benefit for businesses in Wales and I would urge the private sector to take advantage of this service.'

Companies that have already won major contracts through the supply chain working on the London 2012 construction project,  include:

• Rowecord Engineering from Newport which built the steel frame for the Aquatics Centre roof.
• Neath-based Express Reinforcements, which won a contract from the main contractor building the Olympic Stadium.
• Bluebay Building Products based in Cardiff which supplied reinforced concrete for the bridges and highways being built on the Olympic Park.
• Total CDM Solutions from Cardigan which worked on the Aquatic Centre design
• Rhino Doors from Port Talbot which won a contract at the start of the project for entrance doors for the powerlines tunnelling project.
• B&W Tunnelling, based in Brigend, which provided drainage and buried services for the primary foul sewer and Pumping Station.

LOCOG has started its procurement for Games-time goods and services, which will reach its peak in the next two years.  One of the key areas LOCOG will be active in is the procurement of over 1.1 million pieces of sporting equipment for both Games, including over 1,000 shuttlecocks, 1,200 hockey balls and 44 Paralympic table tennis tables. LOCOG’s licensing programme has also gathered pace in 2009 with regular opportunities being advertised on CompeteFor. 

Notes to editors:

The ‘London 2012 Business Network’, which can be accessed at www.london2012.com/business, provides information business and events and also links to the ‘CompeteFor’ service, a business ‘dating agency’ that matches companies to opportunities. Up to a fifth of London 2012 supply chain opportunities are expected to go through the CompeteFor system.
 

How CompeteFor works:

• ODA and LOCOG are advertising their direct contract opportunities online through CompeteFor, which is co-funded by Regional Development Agencies.
• Companies at every level of the London 2012 supply chain will be encouraged to advertise their supplier opportunities through CompeteFor.
• After registering basic company information any interested business can view the opportunities advertised. Companies can then complete a business profile, which involves answering a series of simple questions, to be able to compete for opportunities.
• A company’s business profile is automatically tested against a small number of minimum standards in areas such as health and safety. If these requirements are not met the company is automatically referred to tailored business support to help improve their performance. This service is provided by Business Link in England and the support services in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
• Once a company’s profile is successfully published on CompeteFor they are automatically matched to opportunities which suit their business and invited, by email, to apply for them by filling out a short, tailored application form. The buyer advertising the contract then selects a shortlist of companies and invites them to formally tender through the buyer’s own procurement system.
• Details of the winning bidder(s) are published on CompeteFor and unsuccessful bidders receive feedback from the buyer. Throughout the process local business support agencies are on hand to help companies maximise their chances of success.

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For further information please contact the Olympic Delivery Authority Press Office on +44 (0)20 3 2012 700.

The construction of the venues and infrastructure of the London 2012 Games is funded by the National Lottery through the Olympic Lottery Distributor, The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Mayor of London and the London Development Agency.

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