Local construction firms win ICC Wales contracts
CONTRACTS worth £22m have been awarded to Welsh firms involved in the construction of the International Convention Centre (ICC) project in Newport.
The £84m project, at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, is being backed with finance, repayable at commercial rate, from the Welsh Government and NatWest Bank.
The contracts, which represent hundreds of local jobs, have been awarded to 22 south Wales firms for the construction of the venue, and cover all aspects from brickwork to catering, metalwork to carpentry.
ICC Wales will accommodate 5,000 conference delegates from around the world when it opens in June, 2019. It includes a 4,000 sq m pillar-free main hall, a 1,500-seater auditorium, 12 flexible meeting rooms, a doubleheight glass atrium and a 2,500 sq m outdoor plaza.
One of the biggest-value contracts has gone to Cardiff-based CMB Engineering, whose director Peter Davies said: “CMB Engineering is proud to have been awarded the mechanical services contract for ICC Wales. We expect to devote close to 20,000 person-hours for the mechanical works, which would equate to a workforce of approximately 10 people. These figures will potentially double with subcontractors employed by us.”
Martin Jenkins, managing director at Pontypridd-based Hazelwood Carpentry Contractors, said: “We are scheduled to be involved in the construction of ICC Wales for at least eight months, employing a minimum of 15 skilled carpenters, all of whom live within a 30-mile radius of the project. This project offers us the opportunity to deliver some exciting bespoke joinery as well as the general carpentry within the development.”
The contract for the kitchen equipment has been awarded to Newportbased Shine Catering Systems.
Other Welsh companies to win substantial contracts include Manorcraft of Hengoed, Newport’s CJN Engineering, Neath’s Concrete Flooring and Structures, Port Talbot Brickwork, DJ Construction of Port Talbot, Puma Flooring of Cardiff, Specialist Precast Products of Caerphilly, Classic Decorators of Barry, and Rowecord Total Access of Swansea.
Russell Phillips, ICC Wales vicepresident of facilities and development, said: “It’s very important that ICC Wales benefits the local community and becomes an integral part of it, so it was vital that we employ companies and people here in Wales to help us build it. We are making fantastic progress on the build and are on target to meet our completion date in the summer of 2019.”
Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: “Our new £84m International Convention Centre will be a huge economic asset to Wales, enabling us to compete with any venue in Europe to attract key events. It is an excellent example of what can be achieved through collaboration between Welsh Government and the private sector . ... I am delighted that Welsh companies have been successful in securing contracts worth £22m, which will help to provide jobs and increased prosperity in Welsh communities.”
ICC Wales is forecast to provide a £70m annual boost to the regional economy.
Between 250-300 jobs will have been generated in the construction of the venue and around 150 permanent jobs will be created when the venue is operational, with many more in the supply chain.