ExCeL London’s 25,000 sqm Expansion Nears Completion with Final Steelwork Addition

ExCeL London, part of the ADNEC Group, has reached a significant milestone as the final piece of structural steelwork has been fitted for the 25,000 sqm state-of-the-art expansion project.

The £220m development, fully supported by ADNEC Group and built by McLaren Construction, will expand the venue’s world-class facilities by a further 25% – totaling 125,000 sqm. Almost 5,000 tons of steel have now been installed, and once complete, in October 2024, the London venue will become the largest fully integrated conference and exhibition center in Europe.

Humaid Al Dhaheri, chairman of ExCeL and managing director and Group CEO of ADNEC Group, visited the venue in person to inspect the progress and conduct a site tour. The expansion represents ADNEC Group’s focus on enhancing its capabilities and quality of services while diversifying its overall portfolio to secure positive business and investment results.

Al Dhaheri said: “ExCeL London is already a world-class venue, and this expansion will further strengthen its leading position within the international events and business tourism industry. It also represents a new chapter for ADNEC Group in line with our sustainability growth plans, and we’re very much looking forward to officially opening the doors next year.”

Hosting around 400 events annually and welcoming four million visitors, one million of whom are from overseas, ExCeL is currently experiencing its busiest year – tracking 10% higher than its previous record set before the pandemic in 2019.

Jeremy Rees, CEO of ExCeL, commented: “Our new expansion stems from growing demand from event organizers across the UK, Europe, and North America. This growth will allow ExCeL to compete for and welcome some of the largest congresses in Europe, with the first contracts already signed for future years and paving the way for it to become the future of conferencing in Europe.”

Darren Gill, managing director for the London & South division at McLaren Construction, added: “ExCeL’s expansion is a flagship project for McLaren and illustrates our approach on a grand scale. The steel structure is one of those areas where the project was able to improve on the sustainability of a typical steel frame, using 50% recycled steel that significantly reduces the project’s carbon footprint.”

The expansion is being built to leading environmental standards to achieve an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating upon completion. It has already saved more than 11,000kg of CO2e by using Cemfree, an ultra-low carbon masonry mortar.

As part of the project, a substantial investment is also being made in the public realm, including new greenery along the dock edge, improved landscaping for pedestrians and cyclists, and a new pocket park.

Photo: L-R: Darren Gill, managing director for the London & South division at McLaren Construction; chairman of ExCeL London Humaid Al Dhaheri and ExCeL CEO Jeremy Rees