STAFF members from a Chepstow company joined hundreds of others in the constructors' parade at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.

The 13 workers from Architen Landrell Associates were part of the parade which brought the Olympic Torch into the stadium on Friday evening.

The fabric engineering experts were involved in the construction of the Aquatics Centre, the water polo arena and also made an inflatable tunnel through which the athletes entered on Friday evening.

Canopies protecting the stairways in the main stadium and banners around the site were also manufactured in Chepstow.

Junior designer David Harley said: "It was a real privilege to be involved in the construction of the Olympic Park, and then to be invited to participate in the opening ceremony was a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"The atmosphere on Friday was amazing, made all the better by the fact that I was surrounded by Architen Landrell structures."

Head of interiors Steve Brown said: "It made me immensely proud not only to be British, but also to be part of the Architen Landrell team which played such an integral role in the construction of the Olympic Park.

"Celebrating our historic achievements and quintessential British way of life at such an amazing event was an incredible opportunity."

Staff from the production unit who welded, cut and made the fabric membrane, designers, project management, technical development and sales staff were invited to the ceremony.

The company was responsible for constructing two temporary stands at the which expand the venue's capacity from 2,500 to 17,500.

The firm's production at Station Road was in full flow for 18 months to manufacture more than 20,000 square metres of fabric.

Despite a limited period of time to meet the order and a complex installation the project was successfully completed on time.

The Olympic Delivery Authority demanded that the structure was both temporary and reusable.

The stands reach 50 metres in height and form angular wings to the curved central body and are wrapped in a fabric cladding jacket.

The cladding is made from a specially-coated PVC polyester that was developed without the use of lead-based chemicals.

Earlier this year water barrels that were used as "ballast" on the constuction of the centre were sold off raising around £1,000 for the Severn Area Rescue Assocaition.

Architen Landrell also manufactured the fabric shell of the water polo centre.

The structure is demountable and will be dismantled at the end of the Games and will be available to be reused in big events such as the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.