McLaughin & Harvey to deliver £210m Forgemasters’ machine shop

Already on site with enabling works, the Belfast-based contractor will commence later this month erecting the structural steelwork for the 322,900 sq ft facility in Sheffield’s Meadowhall district.

Steel supplier Sheffield Forgemasters, which is owned by the Ministry of Defence, said its new £210m machine shop would house some of the world’s largest five-axis vertical turning lathes.

The machine shop is being built on 16 acres of brownfield land off Weedon Street.

“The new machine shop main works contract is a major element within our recapitalisation programme and will create one of Europe’s most advanced defence machining facilities,” said Craig Fisher, programme director for recapitalisation at Sheffield Forgemasters.

Paul Griffen, managing director at McLaughlin & Harvey, added: “We look forward to working collaboratively with Sheffield Forgemasters to deliver a facility of such national significance, which will not only help support UK industries for generations to come but also support the local economy in South Yorkshire.

“This contract award showcases our talented workforce’s ability to manage large-scale, complex construction projects. It strengthens our growing reputation as a construction partner of choice for clients in the advanced manufacturing and defence sectors.”

Planning permission for the facility was granted in February, thanks to the efforts of a team that included Bond Bryan Architects, JLL, and Arup.