Grenfell-linked firms awarded £350m in public sector contracts since fire

Companies linked to the Grenfell fire have been awarded over £350m in public sector contracts since the building tragically caught fire seven years ago, a new analysis of public sector contracts has revealed.

Figures shared with City A.M. showed that Saint-Gobain, Rydon and Kingspan – all of which came in for fierce criticism in the recent findings of the Grenfell inquiry – have between them been awarded £351m from the public sector since June 14 2017, the date of the blaze.

Rydon, the construction contractor responsible for the installation of flammable cladding and insulation on the building, has carried out over £220m of work for public sector bodies, according to Tussell, a public sector contract analyst.

The Kent-headquartered firm bore “considerable responsibility” for the fire in the residential block, the final report published by the inquiry found. The report branded the “inexperienced” team that worked on the refurbishment of the tower as lacking “even the most basic knowledge” of the regulatory regime.

But despite this, Rydon was still awarded several multimillion pound contracts from councils in the wake of the tragedy, including a £99m project with the London borough of Ealing and a £38m tender with Sutton Council in September 2022.

Meanwhile firms that are part of Saint-Gobain – a French manufacturer of construction materials that until 2021 owned Celotex ,the firm that made the building’s flammable insulation- have raked in £127m since the blaze.

The contracts came largely from colleges, universities and publicly owned housing associations, with the latest being announced as recently as July of this year.

The inquiry found Celotex had made “false and misleading claims” about its cladding being suitable for Grenfell.

Kingspan – an Irish construction firm that has been one of the highest profile targets of campaigners since the fire – was found to have been on the receiving end of £828,434 of public money since the fire.

In the wake of the lengthy and excoriating inquiry carried out by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the government pledged an immediate review into public sector suppliers, which it said did not reveal any ongoing contracts with firms found to be culpable for the tragedy.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson told City A.M.: “Following the publication of the inquiry’s report, an immediate review of all central government and arm’s-length body contracts did not reveal any contracts with companies directly involved in the tragedy.

“We are now reviewing the comprehensive list of suppliers for any contractual relationships with government, including as part of supply chains or where ownership of companies may have changed.

 “We will support rapid action on these findings, which could include issuing guidance on exclusions, including across the wider public sector, where appropriate.”

Rydon and Saint-Gobain were approached for comment. Kingspan declined to comment.