Pictured: Lord Coe holds the Premier-manufactured Olympic
torch flanked by The Premier Group directors George Mollison (left)
and Gez Halton
National commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton
(LSH) has struck gold with the makers of the London 2012 Olympic
Torch.
LSH has let an industrial unit at a top secret location on a
prestigious business park in Coventry to The Premier Group, the
official manufacturers of the Olympic torch which, next year, will
be carried around the country by 8,000 inspirational
torch-bearers.
The impressive 19,000 sq ft unit will be used to house a
state-of-the-art dedicated laser facility for The Premier Group,
kitted out with the latest high-speed two dimensional and
three-dimensional laser cutting machines. These are the first, and
currently the only machines to this specification in the UK and as
such the facility will act as a UK showcase for the machine
manufacturers, Prima Power. The site will also house meeting
facilities.
The 800mm high torch is perforated by 8,000 circles in an inner
and outer aluminium skin held in place by a cast top piece and
base, and finished gold in colour.
The 70-day Olympic Torch Relay will take the Olympic flame on an
8000 mile journey around the UK next summer. From the start point
of the relay at Lands End on May 19 an average of 110 people a day
will carry the flame before it arrives at the Olympic Stadium on
July 27 to mark the start of the 2012 Olympic Games with the
lighting of the cauldron which will burn for the duration of the
games.
Premier Group managing director Denis Meagher said, "I am
delighted that this new facility for The Premier Group marks the
start of our planned programme of development - even if currently
its location has to remain under wraps due to the nature of the
work being carried out there. TPG has been an industry leader in
the use of laser equipment for the past 10 years or so and these
amazingly fast new machines from Prima will ensure we maintain that
lead."
The Premier Group is a leading supplier of turnkey engineering
and associated services. The company was founded in 1992 and
supplies the automotive, aerospace, rail and defence
industries.
Cris Maxim of LSH's Birmingham-based Industrial and Logistics
team said, "The Premier Group is taking a modern, refurbished
industrial unit in a prime position on an important and extremely
well-located business park. We are pleased to have been able to let
the facility to a company involved in such a landmark project as
the Olympic torch."
LSH acted jointly with commercial property agency North Rae
Sanders on behalf of Aberdeen Asset Managers.
For more information about Lambert Smith Hampton, please visit
their website here: www.lsh.co.uk