HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson has called on businesses in the West Midlands and North West of England to bid for work on HS2, particularly small and medium sized businesses.
Around 400,000 contract opportunities are expected to be generated by HS2’s first phase of construction, between Birmingham and London.
The Government sees this as equating to around £25bn worth of opportunities throughout the wider supply chain, which they want British businesses to capitalise.
Already, the HS2 supply chain has involved more than 2,000 businesses - 97% of which are UK-based.
The North West has been identified as home to some of the UK’s most recognised talent pools and is a leader in the manufacturing and aerospace sectors.
Meanwhile, the West Midlands have equally been identified as a highly reputable talent pool, with leading companies across the construction, automotive, logistics, metals and materials, and digital rail sectors.
HS2 Ltd and their supply chain team intend to build knowledge and connections across the sector, sharing opportunities which extend far beyond the products and services which might be traditionally associated with major infrastructure projects.
HS2 Minister Andrew 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.”
Robin Lapish, HS2’s Supply Chain Manager added: “HS2’s footprint across the region is huge 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.”
A one-hour business webinar will be held on June 22, 2021 (for the West Midlands) and June 29, 2021 (for the North West) to help support SMEs in these regions to understand and capture the opportunities available on the project.
The webinar will feature an address from the Minister, followed by the opportunity to hear from local firms already working on HS2, how they were able to win bids for work on the major UK infrastructure project and how it has helped their organisations grow.
TCR North will return on November 11, 2021 and TCR Midlands on February 10, 2022, bringing together key rail decision makers and leaders across these vital regions.
