VISITORS at the Torino 2006 Winter Olympics will be able to relax in style thanks to businesses in Malvern.

Richard Penhaligon, from West Malvern, is managing director of Rural Product-ions Ltd.

The Tenbury Wells firm has a contract worth more than a million euros to design and build corporate hospitality suites to welcome visitors to Italy in February.

Rural Productions Ltd has involved several Malvern firms in the project, including Express TV, S & J Hurrell and Malvern Electrical.

"It's intrinsic that my community plays a part in my business interests," said Mr Penhaligon. "People sometimes have a blinkered view of what is available locally."

Express TV, in Malvern Link, is providing plasma screens and other electrical equipment including refrigeration units.

Owner Heath Evans is delighted that local businesses are getting the chance to raise their profile.

"It's fairly unusual for us to be involved in anything international so this is a great opportunity," he said.

"I hope it might make people think a bit differently about local businesses."

Rural Productions designed and built the International Olympic Committee's hospitality sets for the Athens Olympics in 2004, but was not able to involve local businesses after inheriting many existing contracts.

Mr Penhaligon will spend three weeks in Torino before the games start. He will then turn his attentions to his next challenge - the Beijing Summer Olympics in 2008.

He would like to use local businesses again, but said that low prices in China might be a stumbling block.

"Ideally I'd love to build everything here and then ship it over," he said.

"However, I imagine we'll probably be under pressure to build a facility over there."

Mr Penhaligon also hopes to play a part in the London 2010 Olympics.

"We would be delighted and having the games in this country would enable us to be much more able to utilise UK-based and locally-based businesses," he said.