The sole Scottish supplier sponsor to Beijing Olympic Games is preparing to give the 2008 Beijing Games some added power. Aggreko, a global leader in rental power, will provide temporary power to several Olympic venues.

In a $38-million contract with the Beijing Games organizers, Aggreko has won the bid to supply power to over 40 venues in Beijing and the co-host cities of Hong Kong, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao and Tianjin.

In addition to supporting both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the National Stadium in Beijing, Aggreko will also be used to power field-play lighting and camera equipment in various stadiums.

The Scotland-headquartered British company will also power the IBC, which manages television feeds to hundreds of broadcasters around the world.

"For an event of such magnitude, there is no tolerance for failure in power supply," said Derek Shepherd, managing director of Aggreko International. "Our high-tech equipment and experience in supporting sports events make us trustworthy provider of temporary power for the Beijing Games."

"The Games will be over in two weeks, but Aggreko's participation will be almost two years of work, from design, to the logistics of bringing the equipment, to installing and removing everything after the Games is over," he said.

Aggreko's Olympic involvement stretches back to the Barcelona Games. It was also a player in Atlanta and Salt Lake City.

Some 18 months ago, the company acquired one of its major competitors, General Electric Energy Rentals, which provided power for the Athens and Torino Games. Scotland is a leader in the energy sector, producing many global players like Aggreko.

Aggreko first entered China two years ago by setting up shop in Shanghai. The company sees Olympic sponsorship in Beijing as a valuable opportunity to tap into the Chinese market.

"The Olympic logo is probably the most famous brand in the world, and we want to link ourselves with the Olympics and promote the Aggreko brand in China through the Beijing Olympic sponsorship," said Shepherd. "Our aim is to build long term relationships with China long after the conclusion of the Games."

Shepherd added the company has plans to establish five additional bureaus in major Chinese port cities like Dalian, Guangzhou and Tianjin.

(China Daily 05/16/2008 page15)