News: Macalloy at the FIFA World Cup

When the opening ceremony for the 2010 FIFA World Cup takes places in Johannesburg this Friday, Rotherham construction expertise will have made it possible.

Award-winning construction experts, Macalloy has supplied their threaded bar and cable systems to the Soccer City Stadium, the centrepiece to the South African tournament and the venue for the final on July 11.

Macalloy 460 tie rods were supplied as cross bracing to strengthen the outer wall structure of the impressive stadium, designed to have the appearance of an African pot.

The multi-million pound upgrade was designed by world leaders in sports stadia, Populous and the pot's facade is made up of laminated fibre reinforced concrete panels in a selection of eight colours and two textures that make reference to the shades and textures of the African pot known as a calabash.

Based in Dinnington, Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe.

This is the not the first World Cup final venue to make use of their innovative systems, the Olympia Stadion in Berlin, the venue for the 2006 final, used approximately 100t of galvanised Macalloy 460 tie rods to act as bracing within the steel work supporting the main membrane roof structure.

In addition to Soccer City Stadium, Macalloy 460 tendons have been used to create the iconic features of the newly constructed $140m Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, the venue for four group matches over the summer.

The roof is iconic and appropriate to the stadium's setting on the edge of world famous Kruger National Park - its structural masts, supported by Macalloy tendons, are designed to resemble giraffes.

In April, Macalloy earned the Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2010 for international trade.

Over six years the company's export earnings have increased by 124% from its markets in 58 countries worldwide.

In 2009, the company's largest projects included the Dubai Metro and Concourse 3 at Dubai International Airport - both awarded as a result of its other successes in the Middle East.

Macalloy moved to Dinington from Sheffield in November 2006 as part of their continued expansion.

Macalloy website

Images: populous.com / macalloy.com