Magnox, the company responsible for managing operations at ten UK nuclear power stations, has signed a $62 million contract for laundry and decontamination services. The seven-year contract with UniTech Services Group and Berendsen UK Ltd includes laundering of contaminated and non-contaminated clothing and respirators, decontamination of scaffolding and other materials and lease and laundry of personal protective equipment. The contract supports Magnox’s commitment to reusing equipment and reducing the amount of waste sent for disposal as contaminated or low level radioactive waste.
Magnox requires laundry or decontamination for approximately five million items annually. Bringing this work under one long-term contract will deliver significant savings and a stable supply chain platform. Steve Watson, Magnox procurement manager, said, “This is the first time the nuclear industry has grouped this type of work together in this way. There are lots of synergies in the areas of work and, by combining them under a single contract, we have been able to go to the market and secure diversification of the supply chain and increased value for our customer – the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) – and ultimately the UK taxpayer.”
The contract will be placed as part of the NDA’s collaborative procurement program and the services will be available to other organizations in the NDA estate. Ron Gorham, Head of Supply Chain Optimization at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, added, “This contract is great news for Magnox and the wider nuclear estate. The supply chain is critical to the NDA delivering its program and these two suppliers offer a great deal of innovation and expertise.”