Sheffield Forgemasters has selected VINCI Building for an early works contract and pre-construction services agreement, worth more than £70 million.

The company will construct a new service road, undertake demolition works and services diversions at Brightside Lane to accommodate a new forging line.

The appointment marks the first phase of the wider investment, valued up to £400 million over ten years, to underpin critical defence assets, with construction of the UK’s largest open-die forging operation to install a 13,000 tonne forge-line.

Chris Winspear, Regional Director at VINCI Building, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded the contract to kick off the first phase of a significant investment into the company and to the wider benefit of the Sheffield City Region.

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"Initially, VINCI Building will handle construction of a new access road onto Sheffield Forgemasters' site, including all necessary service diversions and partial demolition of existing buildings.

"We will also undertake intrusive survey works and provide support with scheduling and risk management, engagement of supply chain and development of costs for the main construction works."

The contract, covering the forging line installation, is set to run until 2025, when the new forge is commissioned and Sheffield Forgemasters' existing 10,000 tonne press will be decommissioned.

Gareth Barker, Chief Operating Officer at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: "This contract is a key milestone in our recapitalisation project, which will see up to £400 million invested across the site to first establish a new heavy forging-line and to then install 16 new machining centres to increase our capabilities as a world-leading engineering facility.

"VINCI Building will input into the current phase of the RIBA 3 design works which should promote buildability and development of the subsequent main-works contract to install a new, circa 140,000 sq ft building, to house the new forge-line."