BACK in 2021, the Hitachi/Alstom joint venture was awarded the £2bn contract to build Britain’s next generation of high-speed trains at their factories in Derby, County Durham, and Crewe. 2 years on, the train-building giants are teaming up with HS2 to find new suppliers who can play a part in the interior fit out of the state-of-the-art trains.
HS2's construction is already supporting around 30,000 jobs and to date, 3,000 UK-based businesses have won work on the project. Now, for the first time, the most important economic and social regeneration project in decades is getting ready to launch tier 2 contract opportunities, linked to its fleet of 54 trains, on the open market.
Ruth Todd, HS2’s Chief Commercial Officer said:- “My advice to businesses of all sizes is to think outside of the box, as these contract opportunities aren’t limited to companies already working in the rail sector. If you’re supplying storage solutions for motor homes, windows for aeroplanes or internal panels for office buildings then we want to hear from you. These contracts present a real opportunity for growth over the next five years, and we want to see more UK businesses thrive as a result of HS2’s construction.”
HS2 is holding a ‘Meet the Contractor’ event in Manchester on Tuesday, 11 July to showcase the upcoming opportunities. The event gives business owners the chance to meet one-to-one with Hitachi/Alstom to discuss their bespoke requirements and understand more about the upcoming procurement process.
Businesses that specialize in the supply of exterior coatings, decals, emergency equipment, high-voltage cables, and electrical cubicles are also encouraged to attend.
As contracts will vary in size, value and duration, HS2 is encouraging small businesses to seize the opportunity to break into a new sector and capitalize on the multi-million-pound opportunities.
More information about the event, which is being held on 11th July at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, can be found on the HS2's website or at:- ow.ly/Y6kw50OIKpu
Businesses can express an interest in becoming an HS2 supplier at any time by registering their details on CompeteFor. For information and advice about becoming an HS2 supplier, read HS2’s Supplier Guide.
Contract opportunities linked to the design and build of HS2’s fleet of high-speed trains include:-
- Exterior Coating.
- Skirts (incl. bogie covers, underframe, roof)
- Fabrications.
- Electrical Cables and Cabinets/Harnesses (incl. high voltage cable, electrical cubicles)
- Electricals (incl. electrical cubicle)
- Interior assemblies (incl. handles, rails, walls, luggage racks, ceiling modules, decals)
- Insulation, emergency equipment, hoses, and pipework.
