North Wales Companies Successful In Bids To Deliver Highway Improvements

After a thorough and competitive tender process, Companies in North Wales have been successful and are part of the team of contractors that will deliver vital highway improvements linked to Horizon Nuclear Power’s proposed Wylfa Newydd project. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A Framework contract* will be used to deliver the highway work for Wylfa Newydd as well as other projects linked to the County Council’s Energy Island Programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Eight of the 11 companies that have been successful in being selected for the Framework, are from North Wales, with the remaining three companies based in Manchester, Warrington and Derbyshire. This is a positive reflection on the local companies and their ability to compete in a regional and national market ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Anglesey Council Leader and Major Projects portfolio holder, Councillor Ieuan Williams, said: “Through the Council’s Energy Island Programme, we’re working closely with Horizon to ensure that supply chain opportunities like these are made as accessible as possible.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re delighted that the majority of companies competitively selected for the Highways Framework are from North Wales, including two companies from Anglesey. This sends out a positive message in terms of the capabilities of our supply chain and the benefits the Wylfa Newydd project brings to the Island and wider region.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Highways portfolio holder, Cllr John Arwel Roberts, added, “As part of the Highways Framework contract, work packages were split into smaller lots in order to create more equal and accessible opportunities for the smaller suppliers. It’s crucial that local businesses are and do get ready to access the Wylfa Newydd and Energy Island-related opportunities and work to establish the framework is another important step forward.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mark Nicholson of Horizon Nuclear Power added: “It is important to Horizon that local and regional, small and large contractors receive equal opportunities to compete competitively for work. We were delighted by the submissions from local contractors and look forward to working with those awarded contracts to also maximise potential sub-contracting opportunities for smaller businesses.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All of the successful contractors on the Framework will take part in a local business event on Anglesey in the autumn to ‘meet the buyer’. This will allow them to meet the Framework Contractors and potentially form new relationships with other suppliers to maximise the benefits both locally and regionally. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Registration will open this summer, alerts will be posted using regular websites e.g. Energy Island Programme and the Sell2Wales website. www.Sell2Wales.gov.uk and Isle of Anglesey County Council website ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Highways Framework’s success reflects the ethos of the North Wales Economic Ambition Board (NWEAB) – to ensure that businesses of all sizes benefit fully from forthcoming projects – such has Wylfa Newydd. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The NWEAB is a collaborative group of private and public organisations committed to promoting economic growth in Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd and Wrexham. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​