materials feature | 2012 Olympics


This had to be changed. “The organisers didn’t want debris falling through the gaps – in order to minimise the risk of fire – so the boards had to be redesigned,” he said. Working with stadium designer Populous, the


company redesigned the edges so that they were ‘S’ shaped – allowing an overlap. This closed the gap to debris and litter, but still allows rainwater to drain through. In its one-month production surge, Vannplastic


produced 110 tonnes of decking, which covers 4000 sq m. The decking area can clearly be seen at one edge of the stadium, accounting for around 10% of its circumference. Vannplastic won the contract partly through its use


It took Vannplastic one month to make the 110 tonnes of decking for the O2 VIP platform


one key element: the testing. “They [the ODA] take safety very seriously, so we had


to do lots of physical testing,” he said. “I was pleasantly surprised that our boards performed so well.” One further consequence of the safety issue was the design of the board. The standard design means that a small gap is created between boards when installed.


of recycled materials, but another stipulation in its contract took this even further. “We agreed that, if they dismantled the stadium


afterwards, we would buy back the decking,” said Collins.


So if anybody spots a convoy of Vannplastic lorries heading away from London after the event, you’ll know what they’re doing. ❙ www.vannplastic.co.uk


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