Sodexo becomes equity partner in £12b defence project

Contract caterer Sodexo has become an equity partner in a £12b private finance initiative (PFI) to build and run the UK's Defence Technical Academy.

Sodexo, along with defence technology company QinetiQ, it has become a 50/50 equity partner in consortium Metrix UK, which has been appointed by the Ministry of Defence as preferred bidder for the academy.

The 30-year £12b project is the UK's largest PFI and the academy will be the largest vocational training facility in the UK when it opens at the start of 2014.

The academy will provide technical training to three armed services at a purpose-built site in St Athan, South Wales.

Aidan Connolly, finance director at Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: "We are delighted to play such a significant role in one of the most important PFI programmes to date."

Sodexo has been a member of the Metrix consortium since 2005, with responsibility for the provision of soft services such as catering and cleaning.

The contract caterer is currently involved in 17 PFI projects across the defence, healthcare, education and prison sectors.

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By Chris Druce

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