Contract win: New National Stadium Warsaw, Poland.

Fabrication and installation of main roof & façade steel structure, radial cable system, and fixed & retractable membrane system.

Hightex is pleased to announce that, with its Joint Venture partners Cimolai SpA (of Pordenone, Italy) and Mostostal Zabrze Holding Sp Z.o.o. (of Katowice, Poland), it has been awarded the contract to supply the complete roof system for the new National Stadium Warsaw, Poland. This stadium is being built in connection with the UEFA 2012 European Football Championship, which will take place in Poland and the Ukraine.

The contract is worth approximately EUR 13 million to Hightex: the financial benefits are described more fully below.

The roof consists of a radial cable system supporting the fixed outer portion of nearly 55,000 square metres of PTFE/glass membrane, with a retractable inner roof in the more flexible PVC/polyester membrane with a surface area of some 11,000 square metres.

72 columns carry the compression ring that picks up the lower radial cables, with 72 inclined struts to pick up the upper radial cables. The total steel weight is some 12,000 tonnes. The membrane roof is arch supported with a total of 72 main bays and 72 secondary bays. The retractable roof is supported by 60 radial cables and is suspended at 960 points. In total there are 60 driving carriages and 900 sliding carriages. The interface between the fixed and retractable is composed of a glass shelf which also acts as a gutter. The inner fabric when open is stored in a membrane garage which opens and closes by sliding vertically.

The contract also includes the provision of about 20,000 square metres of metal mesh façade panels.

The design work will commence immediately, with completion planned to take place in April 2011. This expected date of completion allows for a break in the roof installation in the middle of the 2010/2011 winter, when the very low temperatures will restrict the roof installation activity.

The total contract value for the Joint Venture is approximately EUR 78 million, of which Hightex's share is about EUR 13 million. Hightex expects that about 80% of these revenues will fall in 2010 with the balance coming in 2011.