Watson Steel, part of Severfield-Rowen, is the UK market leader for structural steelwork and has already worked on the Olympic Stadium itself, as well as Arsenal Football Club's Emirates Stadium, the Baltic Millennium Bridge at Gateshead and Heathrow Terminal 5.
The work required for the ArcelorMittal Orbit presented Watson's engineers with a fresh challenge. Watson managing director and Severfield-Rowen COO Peter Emerson said: "We are very familiar with taking a drawing board concept and turning it into a reality. It's what we do and we are the market leaders. However, in the case of the ArcelorMittal Orbit project, the degree of precision required was higher than usual. Its unique design meant that it would not be possible to make adjustments to the structure once construction commenced. We have therefore had to machine the components to their exact specifications, to enable them to fit precisely together. The asymmetric shape also requires far more frequent stage by stage analysis, to ensure full stability. I am pleased that we are equipped for this challenge."
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The ArcelorMittal Orbit is designed by award-winning artist Anish Kapoor, in collaboration with Arup structural designer Cecil Balmond . It consists of a continuous looping lattice of tubular steel 115m in height. When completed, it will be 22m taller than the Statue of Liberty in New York and offer views of the entire 250-acre Olympic Park and London's skyline from a viewing platform.
Tom Haughey, CEO of Severfield-Rowen, said: "We are extremely proud to be involved in such a prestigious and iconic project. It has been a privilege to work with Anish and Cecil, and with ArcelorMittal. This structure will be a lasting legacy to London and its Olympic Games and we are delighted that we have been able to contribute."
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