A Hull climbing centre Rockcity is set to expand its operation in its home city, while also going for gold at the Paris Olympic Games.

Rockcity, which marks 30 years of trading this year, has been selected to provide 600 holds for the competition climbing walls at the Games, which launch this Friday, July 26. The award is the latest global success for Rockcity, which also provided the holds for the Olympic climbing qualifiers in Shanghai, China, and Budapest, Hungary, as well as the last Games in Tokyo in 2020, when competition climbing made its debut.

Now, Rockcity is planning to expand by launching a new climbing hold manufacturing factory in the city. At present, it designs all of its own holds but has to outsource the manufacturing to companies across the world. Opening a new 拢400,000 facility next to its climbing centre would allow it to bring the whole process in-house.

Managing director Mark English said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 fantastic that a small business in Hull has the expertise to be able to influence the Olympic Games. It鈥檚 such a high-profile event to be a part of, and it鈥檚 brilliant for our profile. We鈥檝e developed as a business over time, and we鈥檝e always been interested in the design of the climbing holds. We make them from polyurethane, which enables you to have incredible detail and thin holds that would break if they were made from different material.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e excellent for competition climbing because they allow the route setters to make changes to the climbs that really force movement. Climbing is one of the very few sports where the field of play is deliberately changed. It鈥檚 manipulated to confuse the participants. That鈥檚 why these holds are so important.鈥

The company is now applying for 拢120,000 from the Growing Places Fund, with support from Hull City Council鈥檚 business advisors, towards the development of the new factory. The new 10,000 sqft facility, which will create eight full-time jobs, will hopefully be operational in six months.

Mr English said: 鈥淲e鈥檝e proven there鈥檚 demand and we鈥檝e built a brand. We have international sales and marketing, now we want to bring the manufacturing under our own control, in our home city. It will allow us to improve the quality, improve the lead times and the pricing. We鈥檒l also be able to be more responsive.

鈥淲e鈥檝e always been well supported by Hull City Council鈥檚 Business Support Team. They鈥檝e provided us with invaluable advice and support over the years, and have helped us navigate any issues we鈥檝e had.鈥

Rockcity currently has climbers from the age of just two up to 80, and Mr English said the sport has grown as enthusiasts discover its health benefits.

He added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 been one of the fastest growing sports in recent years. You get a full body workout, using all your major muscle groups. You鈥檙e using your own body weight as resistance, and it鈥檚 a really good all-round exercise regime. What鈥檚 also become more and more apparent over the years is that it鈥檚 very good for mental health. It鈥檚 a sport for people who don鈥檛 like other sports or traditional exercise, and it鈥檚 just a really enjoyable activity.鈥

Coun Paul Drake-Davis, the council鈥檚 portfolio holder for regeneration and housing, said: 鈥淩ockcity is a true Hull success story and it鈥檚 great to see a company the council has supported over the years playing a key role in the Paris Olympic Games.

鈥淭he company鈥檚 plans to expand with a new manufacturing facility in the city, creating local jobs, are also very exciting, and further evidence of its continued success.鈥