Steel completes on ExCeL London expansion

The final piece of structural steelwork has been bolted into place for the ExCeL London expansion, which will add 25,000m² of additional space to the eastern end of the venue.

A total 4,500t of steel have now been installed and once complete, in October, the London venue will become the largest, fully integrated, conference and exhibition centre in Europe.

Humaid Al Dhaheri, Chairman of ExCeL, said: “ExCeL London is already a world-class venue, and this expansion will further strengthen its leading position within the international events and business tourism industry.

Hosting around 400 events every year and welcoming four million visitors, one million of those from overseas, ExCeL is currently experiencing its busiest ever year – tracking 10% higher than its previous record set before the pandemic in 2019. This includes record demand for event space, record-breaking attendance figures across multiple sectors and flourishing new attractions and immersive division.

Working on behalf of main contractor McLaren Construction, Severfield has fabricated, supplied and erected the project’s steelwork.

Darren Gill, Managing Director for the London & South division at McLaren Construction, added: “ExCeL’s expansion is a flagship project for McLaren and illustrates our approach on a grand scale. The steel structure is one of those areas where the project was able to improve on the sustainability of a typical steel frame, using 50% recycled steel that significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the project. Working collaboratively with the client, designers, subcontractor teams and local stakeholders, we were able to overcome many challenges to deliver the monumental steel frame on programme.”