Successful Meet The Buyer Event For Two New School Construction Projects
Companies in Neath Port Talbot are given the opportunity to work with Bouygues UK on two new schools projects in the county borough.
60 local contractors attended a Meet the Buyer Event last week, organised by Neath Port Talbot Council’s Economic Development team and Construction Futures Wales.
Bouygues UK are the preferred main contractor for Ysgol Newydd Margam, an all-through school which will replace Dyffryn School and Groes Primary School and Ysgol Newydd Gymunedol Gymraeg, a Welsh Medium secondary school built on the site of the former Sandfields Comprehensive School.
Businesses were able to discuss sub-contracting opportunities for both schools with Bouygues UK’s project team. Already, several contractors have been asked to submit quotes for work packages and many more have been added to Bouygues UK’s supplier database.
Workways+, Cyfle, Neath Port Talbot College and the Council’s Economic Development team were also in attendance, raising awareness of further support available to local businesses.
Neath Port Talbot Council is committed to making the most of investment and construction projects such as this one by working in partnership with main contractors, local businesses and employment support organisations to benefit our local communities.
This approach to delivering supply chain opportunities for local businesses and identifying jobs and training opportunities for local people has been successfully developed by the Council’s Regeneration and Economic Development teams over the past few years.
It has also proved to be a very effective approach on the construction of Ysgol Bae Baglan, a £40m build project by Bouygues UK, which has brought enormous benefits to the area.
Contracts totalling over £12 million were awarded to local businesses based in the Neath Port Talbot and Swansea Bay area while a further £16m in contracts went to companies based elsewhere in Wales.
But there were other significant outputs from the two year contract. More than 300 people from Neath Port Talbot worked on the project including 146 who had been previously unemployed, 73 trainees were involved in the project including 50 apprentices, and 44 people gained qualifications as a direct result of the scheme.
Neath Port Talbot Council Leader Ali Thomas OBE said:
“I am delighted that the Council are again working with Bouygues UK, helping bring the skills of our local businesses to their attention.
“They are committed to working with us to use local sub contractors and suppliers where possible and provide local people with employment opportunities.”
“Bringing together potential subcontractors and suppliers with a large construction firm in this way is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen our local economy, bringing contractors together to forge new business relationships and bring job and training opportunities for local people.”
Spotted something? Got a story? Email News@News.Wales
