Newcastle engineers support plans to boost 5G rollout with new jobs in pipeline

Seaton Burn-based RWO Associates has won the undisclosed work to provide specialist structural engineering services including the design and installation of masts to support new 5G transmitters.

These are being designed for installation at strategic UK sites over the next 12 months as new 5G mobile phone services come on stream.

The move will see the company working for Cell:cm, a Newcastle based specialist in land and site management surveying services for telecom industries.

RWO’s director, Martin Heddon, said: “This is a high-profile contract win for a North East company, reflecting the skills and expertise available in the region to support national multi-million pound infrastructure projects.

“It takes RWO into a new area of opportunity and we expect to see further work in the coming years in a growth sector.”

The work for RWO Associates will involve reviewing proposed installation sites and providing specialist structural advice and services around positioning heavy equipment on masts located on the outside of buildings.

Work on the first phase of 10 sites, which includes several installations in Glasgow, is currently underway and will feature working-at-height and radio frequency training for the engineering team.

Eventually, RWO is expected to be involved in supporting more than 300 5G sites across the UK as the new network goes live over the next two years.

The contract is the latest success for RWO, which currently employs 17 people and is targeting the £1.5m turnover target in 2020 as it continues to invest in resources to support growth and customer services.

Two engineering roles are expected to be created in the structures team.