About 20 Israeli companies won tenders and carried out projects worth an aggregate $220 million for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, according to an Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute study. The companies included C. Mer Industries (TASE:CMER), Check Point (Nasdaq:CHKP), Elbit Systems (Nasdaq:ESLT; TASE:ESLT), Israel Shipyards, Magal Security Systems (Nasdaq:MAGS; TASE:MAGS), Malam Systems, Motorola Israel, Netafim, and NICE Systems (Nasdaq:NICE; TASE:NICE)
The Israeli companies provided support systems for the Athens police, Greek coast guard, and rescue services, perimeter defenses, border control systems, security training, and anti-terrorism measures.
The Israeli companies won communications tenders worth $30 million; coastal and port security tenders worth $120 million; infrastructure tenders worth $30 million; environment, transport and parking infrastructures worth $30 million; and security consultancy tenders worth $10 million. A company headed by former Mossad chief Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amiram Levin won one of the latter tenders.
Export Institute director Yechiel Assia believes that Israeli companies could win tenders worth up to $500 million for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on July 21, 2004