Wood product manufacturers and suppliers have described London’s success in the race to host the 2012 Olympics as “great news”.
Panel manufacturer Sonae (UK) Ltd held a meeting to discuss Olympic business opportunities just hours after news broke that London had pipped Paris to host the games.
Deputy managing director Nigel Graham described the success as “great news” and said: “It’s an absolutely massive undertaking. As someone who is supplying timber products to the construction industry it has to be very exciting.
“We need to now be thinking what can we offer and what can we provide that is different.”
He said other panels suppliers, as well as specifiers and construction companies all around the UK would be holding discussions to assess the business potential of the Olympics.
SmartPly Europe Ltd sales and marketing director Andrew Macdonald said: “It’s great news for Britain and should boost an area in London much in need of revitalisation. It’s an opportunity for London to be a showpiece for the British construction industry.”
Derek Harris, of Romex Group, also welcomed the decision and said: “There will be a lot of investment in and around the area. But it’s a long way off and a glimmer at the end of the tunnel.”
London’s Olympics bid set out a £10bn programme for sports stadia, accommodation and infrastructure investment, with the construction bill expected to be about £2.5bn.
Construction Products Association economics director Allan Wilén said: “The new challenge for the Olympic bid team and the construction industry is to ensure the timely and cost-effective delivery of the promised facilities.
“Construction products manufacturers are ready to build on the Egan agenda and work together in a truly integrated way with the client, designers and contractors to realise this huge programme of much-needed investment and regeneration in our capital city.”
