Kirklees companies are among more than 50 Yorkshire firms keen to land a share of contracts worth more than £10bn for high-speed rail project HS2.
Fifty-five firms in the region employing more than 50,000 people will attend one of HS2 Ltd’s two Supply Chain Conferences being held in London and Manchester in October as HS2 moves towards construction – which is planned to start in 2017.
The companies, which include 19 from West Yorkshire, range from big firms employing more than 5,000 people to some with fewer than 10 and supply anything from office furniture to transport smart cards, seals and gaskets.
HS2 will be Europe’s biggest construction project, linking eight of Britain’s 10 biggest cities. It is estimated HS2 will support more than 100,000 jobs nationwide.
HS2 chief executive Simon Kirby said: “Building HS2 is a massive, long-term project; one that offers huge opportunity for large and small companies right across the country.
“To construct it and then bring it to life will require a vast range of skills and expertise, some of which we have and some we’ll need to develop.
“Put simply, HS2 is an unprecedented transport, investment and economic opportunity. And to deliver a project of HS2’s scale and complexity we are committed to working with companies who share our collaborative values.”
The HS2 Supply Chain Conferences will be held on October 17 in London and on October 23 in Manchester. Go to SCC@hs2.org.uk
