By Ashley Karen
An old oil rig fabrication site in Hartlepool is planned to be the home of a precast concrete tunnel segment factory for HS2, producing more than 100 new jobs.
Strabag, Austria’s largest construction company is going to construct the facility to fulfill a 36,000-segment contract for its JV with Costain Skanska delivering twin bored tunnels from High Speed 2’s new Old Oak Common station to Green Parkway running beneath Northolt.
Construction of the new factory which is going to be located at Hartlepool Dock, and is owned and operated by PD Ports, will start in January 2022 to begin production of 6-tonne precast concrete tunnel segments by December 2022.
Operation is going to commence by redeveloping the exterior land parcel to suit the segment storage needs and rail logistics platform.
After, the focus will turn to the internal fit-out which will host an advanced automated segment carousel and reinforcement hall.
In addition, robots are going to be controlled by telemetry to make the high-quality reinforcement cages needed for each segment.
Ruth Todd, the HS2’s chief commercial officer, stated: “The decision to manufacture the segments not only in the UK but in a new facility in the North East, is another demonstration of how HS2 is having a positive impact on regional economies across the UK and helping the country to build back better after the pandemic.”
Moreover, the Commercial Director at Strabag, Andrew Dixon, mentioned: “This new production facility in Hartlepool and our existing precast factory in Wilton for the Woodsmith Mine project underline our long-term commitment to the region.”
The contract is the second of two for precast concrete tunnel segments for HS2’s London tunnels.
Pacadar UK will be delivering 58,000 segments for the first London tunnel being constructed between West Ruislip and Green Park Way, in Ealing. The mixed length of HS2’s London tunnels being built by SCS JV is 26miles, the same length as Crossrail.
