HS2 is urging Scottish business to register to bid for work on the high-speed railway when it issues new contracts next year.
Last week, HS2 released figures that showed that companies in Scotland were securing a far smaller share of the work than companies from other nations and regions of the UK.
Since 2016, HS2 has awarded £11.5bn worth of contracts in phase one of its construction. But so far, the total amount going to Scotland is just £137m to only fifty-six firms. In contrast, companies have netted over a billion pounds worth of work in each of the West Midlands, South East and East of England.
Although the government has scrapped plan to build HS2 north of Birmingham, there is still a lot of work to be done on the section between London and Birmingham. Thirty thousand people are now working on the project.
HS2 will issue new contracts in 2024, worth millions of pounds. The contracts will be open to companies in the tech, digital, rail and low carbon sectors, and will include deals to supply track, power, overhead catenary, telecoms, signalling, mechanical and electrical fit-out.
HS2 wants more Scottish firms to register their details on its supplier platform, CompeteFor.
So far, 71% of the Scottish firms which are supplying goods and materials to HS2 are small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – companies with 250 or fewer employees. Zappshelter, which is based in Perthshire, provides bespoke storage and undercover work spaces, and has installed its products at HS2 construction sites across the West Midlands.
Craig Michel, Managing Director, ZappShelter, said:“HS2 is arguably the best example in living memory of a national infrastructure project that has delivered meaningful engagement with countless SMEs across the country, providing them with real, tangible benefits.
“As a family business, we're exceptionally proud of our contribution to this project over the past few years. We've been involved in the initial stages of each site, assisting contractors with setting up site compounds, storage areas, workshops and training facilities across the HS2 network.
“Being awarded projects on HS2 has enabled us to make significant improvements in our business, including upskilling our existing workforce via training programmes, employing more people from our local community, investing in new equipment and systems, and agreeing supply contracts with numerous other UK SMEs. For many SMEs HS2 will forever be remembered as the project that put them firmly on the map and defined their future.”
Robin Lapish, Supply Chain Lead at HS2, said, “2024 will be a significant year in HS2's construction, as we begin the transition from civils to rail, whilst simultaneously starting to fit out the new superhub station in West London and build two new stations in Birmingham.
“There's a five-year pipeline of work ahead, which offers enormous potential for those looking to expand their order books. HS2 publishes details of all its current and future contract opportunities, so there's plenty of time for businesses to start getting HS2-ready.”
