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.