A second date has been announced for a free seminar to steer small and medium-sized enterprises through the HS2 procurement process, after the first ‘sold out’ within 24 hours.
Organised by East Midlands Chamber and run in partnership with the D2N2 Growth Hub and HS2, places at the first event were snapped up by firms looking for ways to cash in on the huge infrastructure project.
With a waiting list of over 50 delegates, the Chamber and HS2, along with the D2N2 Growth Hub, decided to repeat the event.
Once up and running, HS2 will not only improve passenger and freight capacity on rail routes through the East Midlands but will contribute about £4bn a year to the GVA of the region and parts of Yorkshire.
But there will also be billions of pounds worth of opportunities for regional businesses during the construction of the new rail line.
The procurement event highlights the wide range of works, products and services needed before, during and after construction and are more than just civil engineering and rail related.
Matthew Wheatley, Interim Chief Executive at the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “HS2 presents a fantastic opportunity for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and the wider East Midlands.
“With our excellent construction, transport equipment and supply chain manufacturing businesses, the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire area has a lot to bring to the table where HS2 is concerned, but it’s also important that businesses in our area are ready to seize the opportunities HS2 offers.”
Ian Bates, the Chamber’s Sector Forums Manager, added: “Demand for the first event was incredible and every place was filled within 24 hours of it being announced. We had over 50 people on a waiting list, so decided to run the event again and are pleased to be working with the D2N2 Growth Hub to make this happen.
“HS2 will be transformational for the region and it’s important that local firms know how to identify and grab the opportunities it will offer. Those opportunities exist today, will grow during the construction of the line and continue long after the trains start running.
“But there is a process that firms must follow and unless they know what it is they will either arrive too late at the party for the best of the buffet or simply miss out altogether and we want to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Examples of opportunities that sit outside the larger civil engineering, railway systems and rolling stock elements of the project include landscaping, tree surgery, wildlife habitat and woodland relocation, telecoms, site office and compound works, site security, signage, CCTV, traffic surveys and management, ground investigation, drone surveys, labour and staff wellbeing, plant hire, aggregates, ducts and pipework, pest control, specialist photography and more.
The #Fit4HS2 event will be held at Chesterfield’s Proact Stadium on 14 June. It is underwritten by the European Regional Development Fund through the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership’s Growth Hub.
Full details and booking arrangements can be found at https://bit.ly/2L6Inv9.
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