BUSINESSES in Bolton are being encouraged to get a slice of the £6 billion in contracts which will be created in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.

John Armitt, CBE, chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), made the call yesterday as he headed an event at the Reebok Stadium to tell companies about the opportunities available and how to get involved.

An audience of 200 businesses were invited to the North-west Business Network event, hosted by the North-west Regional Development Agency (NWDA).

Mr Armitt also visited Watson Steel Structures Ltd in Lostock, which won a multi-million pound contract to create the steel structures for the Olympic stadium earlier this year.

The ODA is working with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to stage the Games. It is estimated 75,000 business opportunities, covering direct contractors and their supply chains, will be created.

Mr Armitt said: “There is absolutely every opportunity you can possibly imagine. We need everything for the stadium — signs and seating to table cloths and chairs.

“The work we want to do has got to happen and the money is there, so there are none of the doubts people have bidding for other contracts at the moment.

“We want to work with the best of UK plc to successfully deliver the Games, the largest project this country has seen for generations.”

The NWDA is supporting businesses which want to get involved and is encouraging companies of all sizes to bid for contracts.

Vanda Murray, NWDA board member, said: “Do not be put off if you are a small business. There are lots of small contracts available as well as the big ones.

“This is one event where the timescale is fixed. There can be no overrunning. North-west businesses should and must compete now, this is a fantastic opportunity.”

Twenty-eight North-west firms have already won work to supply the ODA and 72 per cent of these are small and medium-sized businesses. Another six companies will supply ODA’s contractors.

Companies joining Watson Steel in successfully winning contracts include KOREC, a surveying and mapping company based in Crosby and Speedy Hire plc, a tool and equipment hire firm located in Newton-le-Willows.

To find out more visit competefor.com — a website which matches businesses with London 2012 opportunities.

You can contact Business Link North-west and the NWDA for advice and support.