Published: Thursday, 4th March, 2010 7:25am

Birth of a giant

by Bryan Copland

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HIS huge crane supports have been visible lately to thousands of curious A1 motorists.

But drivers wondering what is the purpose of the rectangular-shaped metal frame that has pierced the county skyline at Macmerry will be stunned to see, in the coming weeks, a huge crouching man emerge.

Named 'Exposure', he is the brainchild of world-renowned sculptor Antony Gormley.

Famed for designing Gateshead's Angel of the North, Gormley picked a county steel fabricators to manufacture and test assemble his latest work of art.

The English architect came up with the design for the 25-metre high 'Exposure' sculpture, for Dutch municipality Lelystad, more than five years ago.

The contract to manufacture his idea was awarded to Had Fab Ltd of Macmerry Industrial Estate on his recommendation.

Two 20-metre high crane supports - clearly visible from the nearby A1, particularly to eastbound drivers - have been in place since December.

And the trial assembly by crane of the structure - which is due to be finished in May - is now under way.

The 60-tonne steel sculpture - which will stand five metres taller than the Angel of the North - will then be taken apart and transported, on a series of flatbed lorries, to Lelystad, 30 miles from Amsterdam, where it will go on public display, looking out to sea.

Once completed, 'Exposure' will measure 18 metres across and will be made up of 14,000 bolts and 5,000 pieces, with 548 joining 'nodes'.

Fabrication of the structure is still ongoing, and Had Fab Ltd. managing director Simon Harrison told the Courier that this should be completed within five weeks while the trial assembly continues.

"It has been challenging and a lot of people said it couldn't be done, and we've proved them wrong with the expertise that we've got here," he said.

"Our people are very skilled at what they do and have achieved something that's technically challenging."

Had Fab was chosen by Gormley to build 'Exposure' because of its superb reputation for making pylons and transmission towers, which are similar in structure to the sculpture.

Up to seven of the company's 55 members of staff have been working on the project, but Mr Harrison said that the company remained focused on its primary function of building pylons.

He added: "I've always maintained that it can't be the main focus of our work because it's not what we do. We wouldn't want to get to the end of it and have neglected our main work."

He declined to disclose the value of the contract.

Maureen Cuthill, chair of Macmerry Community Council, said she was proud of the company's expertise.

"It sounds quite exciting and I'd like to see it finished - the cranes are quite prominent, so hopefully we'll get the chance to see it," she said.

"For people going on holiday to Holland in later years it will be nice that they can say, 'that was built along the road from me!'"

Dutch TV crews have already been to Had Fab to film the structure.