West Midlands businesses can find out how they can benefit from the huge opportunities presented by HS2 at a special online summit this week.

HS2 is the largest infrastructure project in Europe and the most important economic and social regeneration project in decades, with the West Midlands at the heart of the new high speed rail network.

Construction work on phase one between London and Birmingham is well under way and the next phase to the Manchester is in development, so there are plenty of opportunities for local small and medium sized enterprises to get involved.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has teamed up with HS2 to host a virtual summit this Thursday, June 9th, aimed at local businesses who want to find out more about the opportunities on offer.

It is not just about track and trains either, HS2 and its leading contractors are looking for suppliers offering a wide range of goods and services including catering, cleaning, designers, engineers, logistics, building supplies and electronic components. There are literally tens of thousands of contracts up for grabs.

Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street, who chairs the WMCA, and HS2 chief executive Mark Thurston, are both speaking at the event along with firms who have already secured HS2 contracts.

Attendees will also hear from:

• Kai Ogunbanjo, from Trinity Assets, a company that offers affordable housing to HS2 workers, will talk through his experience of accessing the HS2 supply chain and the benefits that it has provided him and his business.
• Apprentices working at Mott MacDonald, who will share their journeys into engineering through HS2.
• Balfour Beatty Vinci will talk through live and forthcoming opportunities, and exactly how businesses can become part of the supply chain.
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This is the second WMCA-HS2 suppliers summit following a successful event in October 2020.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said: “HS2 has the potential to be a game changing project for the West Midlands. It has already supported thousands of jobs and scores of businesses in our region through direct contracts, via the wider supply chain, and of course by employing many of our young people on site as apprentices.

“I want to make sure that we do everything we can to ensure HS2 has the maximum possible local economic benefit hence why we’re encouraging local businesses to get involved in this summit.

“As we bounce back from covid, we can all play our part in helping our local business community to recover and come back stronger than ever.”

HS2 CEO Mark Thurston said: “Over 2,500 UK-based businesses are already supplying services to support HS2’s construction, which is playing a vital role in Britain’s economic recovery from the pandemic. As work ramps up on the project, there are many more contracts open for companies of all sizes, so this is a fantastic opportunity for Midlands-based companies and their employees to get involved.”

Cllr Ian Courts, WMCA portfolio holder for the environment, HS2 and leader of Solihull Council, is chairing the event.

He said: “HS2 is already bringing huge benefits to businesses across the region by creating new secure jobs, prompting spin-off developments, supporting a very long and high value supply chain as well as being a catalyst for wider improvements to our transport network.

“I am urging our local firms to sign up for the summit and find out how they too can share in this success and help the region maximise the benefits of this investment in our future.”