A Suffolk-based company has been appointed as the primary supplier of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Sizewell C nuclear power station project, creating 23 new jobs in the county.

Suffolk Safety Solutions, based in Bacton near Stowmarket, will supply essential safety workwear to Sizewell C’s growing workforce over the next three years. The contract covers items including hard hats, high-visibility clothing and protective eyewear, supporting the project’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of on-site safety.

The company is a joint venture between family-run PPE and workwear specialist Mathias & Sons Ltd and Suffolk-based portable accommodation provider Portable Space Ltd. The partnership builds on Mathias & Sons’ eight years of experience supplying the Hinkley Point C nuclear project, where a number of innovative safety solutions were developed and successfully trialled.

Those proven approaches will now be replicated at Sizewell C, with Portable Space providing complementary warehousing and logistics services. The newly created roles at Suffolk Safety Solutions will include warehouse operatives and delivery drivers, with further opportunities for apprenticeships also expected.

Jason Mathias, managing director of Mathias & Sons Ltd, said the contract marked a major milestone for the businesses involved.
“This represents a monumental achievement for our respective companies,” he said. “Through many years of collaboration and innovation at Hinkley Point C, we’ve gained a deep understanding of the unique demands of large-scale construction projects. We’ve used that learning to create a PPE model that embraces technology to enhance safety, wellbeing, efficiency and sustainability.”

Mark Dolman, managing director of Portable Space, said the partnership would deliver long-term benefits for the region.
“We’re excited to support these innovations at Sizewell C,” he said. “Our partnership with Mathias will create jobs and apprenticeships for local people in Suffolk and help drive long-term sustainable growth.”

The contract forms part of Sizewell C’s wider commitment to invest £2 billion in Suffolk businesses during the construction of the new power station, which is already under way on the county’s coast. To date, £581 million has been awarded to local suppliers.

At peak construction, Sizewell C is expected to support around 8,000 jobs, with approximately one-third filled by people from the local area.

Damian Leydon, site delivery director at Sizewell C, said safety and local economic impact were central to the project.
“Ensuring the highest standards of safety and protection for our workforce is our number one priority,” he said. “We’re pleased to partner with Mathias and Portable Space – two well-established UK companies – as we deliver this nationally significant project. This is also great news for local jobs and reinforces our commitment to supporting Suffolk businesses.”

The announcement follows a report published in December by global economic advisory firm Oxford Economics, which estimated that at the peak of construction Sizewell C could reduce local unemployment by between 1,700 and 2,200 people, potentially cutting Suffolk’s jobless rate from 2.7 per cent to as low as 1.7 per cent.