Manufacturer wins major London contracts

A Shropshire manufacturer has won contracts worth nearly £350,000 in the second phase of a major infrastructure project to upgrade London’s power supply.

Fabweld Steel Products, which is based in Telford, has secured orders totalling more than £346,000 for its bespoke cable brackets that will be used in a new network of underground cable tunnels in south London.

The six-year London Power Tunnels 2 project, which started this summer, involves the construction of 32.5 km of cable tunnels running between Wimbledon and Crayford that will allow for the replacement of existing electricity circuits.

The firm has supplied more than 1,500 cable brackets to infrastructure specialist J. Murphy and Sons for sub stations at Beddington and Rowdown. The project is part of a £750m investment by National Grid to upgrade and future proof the capital’s electricity supply.

FSP has already supplied duct cover systems and designed and manufactured stretcher access covers for the London Power Tunnels 1 project that saw a 32km electricity superhighway constructed deep beneath city streets.

Managing director Richard Hilton said: “We are delighted to have a continuing role in this significant overhaul of London’s power supply. It shows that our investment in employee development, factory improvements and the retention of standards such as EN1090, 9001, 14001 and 18001 are now reaping rewards.

“Our in-house design capabilities, flexible manufacturing schedule and experience of supplying major infrastructure projects enables us to provide bespoke products and prompt service to schemes such as these.

“In the first phase of this project we were able to design and manufacture an entirely new product – the stretcher access cover – and we are anticipating further orders as the London Power Tunnels 2 project progresses.”

Pictured: The London Power Tunnels project is building a new network of cable tunnels in south London. (Photo: National Grid)