Firms target Olympic bid

The pace is hotting up for Black Country companies wanting to win a piece of the action in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics, a conference of business leaders in Walsall heard.

The event at the Bescot Stadium, organised by Black Country Chamber of Commerce with Advantage West Midlands and West Midlands Business Council, was designed to give businesses an insight into the tendering process for the games and how they can take advantage.

Around 50 leading Black Country executives heard how the number of tenders on offer from organisers was increasing, with new opportunities being added almost daily.

Philip Gray of business consultants Commercial Doctor, who is also Olympic adviser to West Midlands Business Council, said that as well as current tenders, www.london2012.com now had an extensive list of forthcoming tenders, so companies could plan ahead.

"The timescales are sometimes quite short between the tender being announced and the closing date, so it pays to get organised," he said.

The site also offers businesses the chance to seek partners for joint bids.

Keith Stanley, Walsall director of Black Country Chamber of Commerce, who hosted the event, said: "There is an enormous amount of work coming out of the 2012 project and we want a piece of that action here in the Black Country."