Olympic Deal For NI Concrete Firm

Specialist concrete developed by a Northern Ireland firm will be used in the construction of a new 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium in London.

Acheson and Glover was chosen to supply 500mm deep hollowcore slabs to main contractor Bryne Brothers, for use in the podium deck surrounding the massive stadium in a contract worth £250,000.

The firm has also been contracted to supply 12 concrete lift caps designed to accommodate a Schindler lift system, as well as two concrete stairwells leading to the main stadium.

The unusual 500mm slabs and 250 mm slabs are specially designed to cope with cherrypicker loadings to allow access to the structure during the long construction period, due for completion in 2011.

Sales manager for Acheson and Glover, Tim Butler, said: "Acheson and Glover was the only company in the UK able to supply the 500mm deep hollowcore slabs which are specially designed to take extra-heavy loads - up to 25 kilo newtons per square metre.

"In addition to supplying 250 square metres of the 500mm slabs, we provided 4,250 square metres of 250mm slabs, all of which are capped to prevent the concrete going into the cores."

Mr Butler added that the slabs were fitted with an Acheson and Glover fitting clamp to enable quick and easy installation, with no soffit damage normally associated with the traditional methods of placing hollowcore planks with chains, while the precast stairs above the podium were designed for easy removal at a later stage.

The main stadium is located south of the Olympic Park on an 'island' site, while the overall construction site stretches from Stratford to Hackney Wick.

Over 50,000 seats in the lightweight steel and concrete upper level of the stadium will be removed after the 2012 Games, leaving the stadium with a permanent 25,000 seat athletics venue in the permanent lower tier.

(PR/BMcC)