Supply chain SMEs

The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has held a series of events across the country to try to encourage small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) to join the rail supply chain.

As this issue of RAIL went to press, representatives of more than 100 CECA members had attended one-day introductory events in Exeter, Birmingham, Abergele, Cumbernauld, Preston and York, with further dates planned in South Wales and East Anglia.

According to CECA, the Introduction to Rail Conference 2019 is aimed at increasing SMEs’ awareness of the opportunities offered by Network Rail’s record spending allocation of £37 billion for operations, maintenance and renewals in Control Period 6 (CP6, April 2019-March 2024).

Delegates have heard how NR’s devolution strategy should make it easier for regional SMEs to secure work, and what opportunities are available to work with other organisations on the network including train operating companies and large Tier 1 contractors such as AMCO and BAM Nuttall.

There is also a strong emphasis on the legal requirements needed for SMEs to trade in the process-driven environment of rail.

Speakers at the York event included CECA Rail Director Bill Free, Network Rail Programme Manager Damian Ross, Mark Lawrence from Northern, Richard Sharp from RDPA, and BAM Nuttall contracts manager Johann Boshoff.

Mark Roper, Executive Director of CECA (Yorkshire & the Humber) said: “The challenge in delivering CP6 is very evident and will be all about resources, particularly if the EU skills pool becomes closed to UK contractors.”