UK steelwork exported forGuyana hospital project

Supported by the UKEF, the government’s export credit agency, Severfield has landed a £4.5M deal to export structural steelwork to Guyana.

A total of 1,900t of steelwork has been sent to the South American nation for the construction of a hospital, by VAMED Engineering, in the capital Georgetown.

In 2021, UKEF helped the Guyanese government to finance the project by providing a €161M loan. The export credit agency supported the project on the condition that it involved UK suppliers, subsequently securing this opportunity for Severfield.

UKEF’s guarantees and loans help overseas governments and businesses to secure financing for projects involving UK goods and services. The new announcement showcases the way in which this creates multimillion-pound contract opportunities for the domestic supply chain.

Lord Offord, Minister for Exports, said: “This government is backing the UK steel industry, and this deal, made possible by UKEF, is great news for Severfield which will support hundreds of jobs across the country.

Rob Evans, Divisional Managing Director of Severfield’s Commercial & Industrial division, said: “We are delighted to be supplying the structural steelwork for the new paediatric and maternity hospital in Guyana. With the invaluable support of UKEF, we are proud to add to our strong and varied history of delivering high quality, fabricated steelwork for use in overseas projects.

Upon completion, the hospital is expected to become a point of referral for high-risk cases from across the country and eventually the Caribbean. It will also work as a teaching hospital – the first institution of its kind available in Guyana.