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Contemporary design and cutting-edge techniques


There has been a hi-tech drive to create the 8,000 Torches that will be used in the London 2012 Olympic torch relay. Every 16 seconds at the Coventry-based production site, 8,000 laser-cut holes were pierced into the aluminium sheets of the triangular Olympic Torch. The laser, originally developed for use in aero engine turbines, creates precise circular holes which get smaller toward the tapered end of the 80cm Torch. The Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby- designed torch has four key pieces to its main body.


London 2012 chairman Lord Coe described it


as ‘the very best of contemporary British design, engineering and manufacturing techniques’.


Each of the 8,000 perforations represents one of the Torchbearers who are carrying it on the 70-day nationwide trip to the July 27


lighting of the Olympic cauldron to start the Games. The Torch is made up of an inner and an outer aluminium alloy skin, held in place by a cast top piece and base. Staff at The Premier Group used lasers to cut the aluminium sheets for the main body. A specialist pressing tool developed the


triangular shape (pictured left). A clean, smooth join was demanded as this


material was then welded and the end caps fitted before the London 2012 relay logo was fixed to the front. It was then topped off with a gold-coated finish ready to be placed in the hands of the torchbearers. Lord Coe said: ‘Our 8,000 Torchbearers will each carry a Torch with pride as they show the world the Olympic spirit is alive and well across the UK in the run up to the start of the Olympic Games.’


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