Engineers await contract decisions
DARLINGTON engineering firm Cleveland Bridge is facing two crucial decisions “within weeks” as it bids to secure millions of pounds worth of work.
Part of the Tyne Tees Rigs (TTR) consortium bidding to keep the SeaDragon project in the region, the fabrication specialist is also hoping to secure a £50m order to carry out steelwork and metal decking on the iconic Shard of Glass - London’s new super-tall skyscraper.
A final decision on both projects is expected “within weeks”.
MD Brian Rogan said the company was also in the running for other projects but did not give details.
He said: “We’re always bidding for work - every week.
“We are hopeful of winning some more contracts in the near future.”
He said Cleveland Bridge had won an order to carry out initial fabrication work on the Shard and was tendering for the remaining work.
Along with South Shields-based McNulty Offshore, the company has also tabled a last-ditch bid to build at least one giant drilling rig on Teesside after commissioning body SeaDragon Offshore Ltd terminated its contract with Tees Alliance Group (TAG), the cluster of companies originally chosen to carry out the work.
TTR is still waiting for feedback from SeaDragon and insisted on Friday that the bid was still alive - despite objections from the most senior executive leading the project.
In an extraordinary blunder, an e-mail circulated to SeaDragon board members urging them to reject a bid by TTR to keep the work in the North-east was mistakenly copied to TTR director Jon Dale.
The e-mail suggested that the work should be carried out in Singapore instead.
But in an apparent climb down, Caymen Islands-based SeaDragon said it was still giving “serious” consideration to TTR’s proposal.
It is understood that SeaDragon was involved in talks over the project yesterday.
