The Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) consortium that is building the bridge has struck the deals with three major steel suppliers. The contracts will see more than 37,000t of steel delivered to three new fabrication plants being established on the banks of the Firth of Forth.
The first fabrication is taking place at Crist in Gdansk, Poland which will produce 4,200t of steel to form the project’s massive caisson foundations. About 8,500t for the steel bridge sections will be fabricated at Tecade-Megusa in Seville, Spain and 24,500t will be fabricated at Zhenhua Heavy Industries in Shanghai, China.
“Our procurement processes aimed to ensure maximum value for money and outstanding quality on the project and I’m pleased to say we have delivered that in the award of these steelwork contracts,” said FCBC project director Carlo Germani. “The Forth Replacement Crossing is one of the most significant infrastructure projects under construction in the world today and I am very pleased we have managed to secure world class contractors for the supply of this steelwork.”
No Scottish firms bid to supply the raw steel required by the project, although the final assembly stages of the steel components will be carried out on site at the new plants in Rosyth, South Queensferry and North Queensferry. This aspect of the work will support about 100 jobs locally as well as generating further opportunities for local support industries and contractors. It is a strict requirement for all the main FRC contractors to advertise their sub-contract opportunities on the Public Contracts Scotland website, ensuring that local companies have had the chance to compete.
The bridge is due to open in 2016.
