A range of projects in Gwent have contributed to orders for Welsh businesses totalling more than £130m within the last five years, a construction company has revealed.

BAM Construction is behind major health developments, Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan in Ebbw Vale and Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr, in Ystrad Mynach, and other developments such as Newport's Kingsway Car park and The Kingsway shopping centre refurbishment.

BAM also carried out an infrastructure upgrade for Royal Gwent Hospital and it built Cwmbran Leisure Centre.

Tim Chell, who leads BAM in Wales, said: “We have developed a robust, effective supply chain within Wales. Over the last five years we have spent more than £130m with 240 Welsh SMEs. We’ve always appreciated the importance of utilising effective, local subcontractors who can adapt immediately to the changing needs of a complex construction project.

“Our category one subcontractors in Wales amount to nearly half of the total number within the Western region. It means that not only do we bring economic benefits to Wales as a result of our projects here, but we export business as well because we use Welsh firms outside of Wales too. Our excellent relationships with the best performing Welsh businesses mean we often want their services in the South West.”

Gwent firms which have worked with BAM on its many Welsh projects include Churngold which delivers ground work, Whitehead, an M and E provider, Thames Valley Construction, Limbright, which does bespoke joinery, and J S Payne, a metalwork company.

Elsewhere in Wales, Cardiff-based BAM has recently begun work on a £16m contract to build a medical research facility at Cardiff University, and is behind other current projects such as a £12m redevelopment of Cyfarthfa Retail Park in Merthyr Tydfil for developer Hammerson, and an office building for Morriston Hospital in Swansea.