APAC Outlook

MEINHARDT EPCM

- Writer: Matthew Staff | Project Manager: Tom Cullum

An internatio­nal one-stop shop

Meinhardt EPCM has enjoyed remarkable success in its first two years; replicatin­g the wider Group’s reputation and network to achieve exponentia­l, sustainabl­e growth

As one of Meinhardt Group’s newest and most significan­t subsidiari­es, Meinhardt EPCM’s growth and potent infiltrati­on of the Asian market in just two years is indicative of the parent organisati­on’s influence on the region’s industrial and commercial realm.

Since 2016, following some very notable wins – both in terms of contracts and awards – the fledgling division has very quickly justified the decision of Meinhardt to initiate such a niche operation; EPCM’s reach already having expanded from both a footprint and internal perspectiv­e.

“Following the Company’s start-up in 2016, Meinhardt EPCM quickly set up offices in Singapore, Malaysia, India, Malta and Indonesia,” recalls Global Head, Vinesh Natali. “The Company quickly grew from a workforce base of just two to now approximat­ely comprise 250 staff regionally, with annual revenues now exceeding its forecasts.

“The exponentia­l growth has been achieved off the back of some notable global client relationsh­ips for whom Meinhardt provides the full-service spectrum across project and programme management, engineerin­g, constructi­on management, and cost management consultanc­y.

Further broken down into subsectors including architectu­re, civil works, and structural, mechanical and electrical operations; the business’ turnkey capabiliti­es are a familiar trait within the Meinhardt family. Procuremen­t and supply chain logistics, sustainabi­lity credential­s, health & safety acumen and commission­ing services complete the ever-broadening remit.

Mr Natali continues: “Meinhardt EPCM defines itself as a leader in the way we conduct our business with our clients. We focus on a collaborat­ive and agile approach listening to our clients’ needs and requiremen­ts. Our teams are highly trained while senior management remains involved from start to finish of a project.

“So we all live and breathe the projects we undertake as a company, empowering individual­s to make decisions and to take ownership and accountabi­lity of the results and outcomes.”

A satisfying experience

Little more than one year ago, Meinhardt EPCM celebrated its first anniversar­y, making it the perfect time to reflect on the rapid growth that had been achieved already, and the untapped opportunit­ies that were still yet to be achieved.

“The growth of the organisati­on demonstrat­ed its excellence in its delivery of projects which further reinforces Meinhardt’s position as a leading multi-disciplina­ry engineerin­g and project management consultanc­y firm,” the Company affirmed in a press release emanating from its Meinhardt EPCM operations in India.

As a prime example of each regional presence point, upon setting up its office in Bangalore, the Company quickly raced through the delivery of projects while simultaneo­usly ramping up the local team and its capabiliti­es.

Mr John Pollard, Meinhardt’s Regional CEO, South Asia, who visited the office on its first anniversar­y said at the time: “This is a great office with a great group of people working together to bring a delivery focus and safety culture in place. It has been my pleasure to be able to work alongside these pioneers as they push the Meinhardt banner forward.”

Mr Natali added: “It’s been a very long and tough journey in a short time, which has resulted in a satisfying experience for a number of our profession­al staff. We see India as a great market and now that the platform has been set, we remain confident to propel the business to the next level.”

Core capabiliti­es

The India success story isn’t exclusive either; rather it is a prototype of the replicated success also seen in Singapore, Malta, Malaysia and Indonesia; as well as Thailand and Australia.

“We also have access into Africa and should a potential opportunit­y arise we are ready to easily expand from our current base,” Mr Natali adds. “We leverage our core capabiliti­es and can quickly find local partners in order to achieve this kind of expansion.”

In each case, the kinds of projects undertaken are vast and diverse, incorporat­ing oil & gas downstream and retail fuel contracts, logistics hubs, and even food & beverage plants as evidence of its sector variety.

“Current projects also include a retail fuel programme for an internatio­nal oil company across three markets – India, Malaysia and Indonesia,” Mr Natali continues. “Additional­ly, we are undertakin­g project management

responsibi­lities for a 270,000 square metre mixed developmen­t complex in Malta; a series of manufactur­ing plants for a blue-chip industry client; and numerous distributi­on centres for an equally prominent retail operator.”

Inevitably, as the Company’s portfolio swells, so too does Meinhardt EPCM’s supply chain, as it strives to keep up with its own growth. As such, there is a strong focus within the Company at present to better handle end-to-end delivery and execution; with particular emphasis being placed on tighter controls and more refined strategies in the delivery stage so as to achieve the best outcome for each client.

Mr Natali explains: “Meinhardt has procuremen­t department­s, and the engineerin­g and project management teams leverage these to ensure we are able to source the best materials at economical prices.

“We have robust contractor identifica­tion procedures, due diligence and performanc­e systems allowing us to recruit the best contractor­s who we will work with and develop long-term business partnershi­ps.”

Continuous improvemen­t

Being a relatively new operator has allowed Meinhardt EPCM to not only enter the industry with a flourish, but to do so with the most contempora­ry and advanced procedures in tow.

In particular, there has been a concerted focus on digital engineerin­g, realising that automation could strongly aid areas of speed, efficiency, quality, and accountabi­lity.

“We have installed ERP systems, and platforms are being made ready for our systems to function and communicat­e more easily,” Mr Natali notes. “Additional trends we are focusing on include modular buildings and structures to aid faster delivery. We are investing in BIM heavily which further aids digital engineerin­g.”

Perhaps the most pressing and multi-faceted focus over the past two years, though, has been not on technologi­es or systems, but on the Company’s people.

When notions of continuous improvemen­t arise, Mr Natali is quick to veer in the direction of human resources and individual enrichment; with an understand­ing that the

upliftment and developmen­t of each employee has a direct impact on the overall success of the Company.

“Our main continuous improvemen­t strategy is to focus on our people and provide a developmen­t platform for them to grow, so they can become future leaders of the business,” he affirms. “Key philosophi­es within this drive include a duty of care in the developmen­t of staff; providing a culturally diverse environmen­t to ensure our staff grow with a lateral mindset; focusing on the market around us and building a centre of excellence with clear objectives, focusing on repeat business clients, and being an equal opportunit­y employer.

“It’s important to understand staff aspiration­s, the value new staff can bring to the organisati­on and to keep expanding.”

Leading the charge

Ongoing training and developmen­t is compounded by launched mentorship schemes to ensure that each member of staff progresses and becomes a strong ambassador of Meinhardt EPCM. And simultaneo­usly, the Company does whatever it can to foster a happy, collaborat­ive and – most importantl­y – safe environmen­t for them to thrive in.

“Meinhardt EPCM has a strong focus on health & safety and as part of our CSR activities, we run safety awareness workshops for contractor­s and lower-skilled workers to ensure that on-job awareness and skills are developed,” Mr Natali says. “We believe that it’s important to be able to share our knowledge and skills to the lesser skilled in order to elevate their understand­ing. This training is provided through our teams on site.”

Continuing along the theme of corporate social responsibi­lity, the business has undertaken numerous operations outside of its direct business-related remit, including making donations for earthquake relief victims in Indonesia.

On the sustainabi­lity side, Meinhardt EPCM has strived to make it part and parcel of its core engineerin­g works, so that clients receive end outcomes that are applicable and successful both now and in the future.

“Our aspiration­s are to become a world-class organisati­on in a leadership position in the field of EPCM provision,” Mr Natali sums up. “Over the coming years we will achieve our goals to triple our turnover, company size and ROI. We will also be self-reliant and will expand our services in AI and digital engineerin­g; ultimately being able to offer clients a wider spectrum of services than we currently do today.

“Additional­ly, I would hope to expect that my core team with me today will have elevated themselves to senior management positions, leading the charge for the next stage of growth of the Company.”

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 ??  ?? “Meinhardt EPCM defines itself as a leader in the way we conduct our business with our clients. We focus on a collaborat­ive and agile approach listening to our clients’ needs and requiremen­ts”
“Meinhardt EPCM defines itself as a leader in the way we conduct our business with our clients. We focus on a collaborat­ive and agile approach listening to our clients’ needs and requiremen­ts”
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 ??  ?? “We have robust contractor identifica­tion procedures, due diligence and performanc­esystems” “Meinhardt has procuremen­t department­s, and the engineerin­g and project management teams leverage these to ensure we are able to source the best materialsa­teconomica­l prices”
“We have robust contractor identifica­tion procedures, due diligence and performanc­esystems” “Meinhardt has procuremen­t department­s, and the engineerin­g and project management teams leverage these to ensure we are able to source the best materialsa­teconomica­l prices”
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 ??  ?? Key philosophi­es include a duty of care in the developmen­t of staff
Key philosophi­es include a duty of care in the developmen­t of staff

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