Is Lean the new tightly managed way for the Construction industry to progress?
After the Wembley stadium cost and timing overruns and escalating cost predictions for the 2012 London Olympics it’s no surprise the construction industry has a reputation for not meeting deadlines and busting budgets.
Now Yorkshire-based project management company Barlows has set out to dispel this perception for its high street retail customers. The implementation of Japanese inspired ‘lean’ principles (see below) has transformed the way Barlows operates, resulting in significant, tangible time and money benefits for customers.
When sports giant JJB began talks with Barlows to discuss the delivery of its new fitness centres, it was stunned when the project management company stated that it could reduce the current programme by as much as 25 per cent. The new £1.7 million centre opened last month and true to its word, Barlows handed over the keys four weeks earlier than originally timetabled.
Providing leading retailers with store delivery and fit-out programmes that minimise the amount of time their doors are closed for trading, and how quickly they can be up and running in a new location, is underpinned by the quality finish consumers expect.
Tom Ward, property development director at JJB commented: “I am impressed at how quickly and professionally the project progressed. This is the first project we’ve undertaken in partnership with Barlows and its project management and translation of the new concept has been remarkable. We are continuing to expand our health club and retail outlets over the next 12 months, and based on the speed and high quality of the finish we look to work with Barlows again.”
Barlows’ managing director Lee Walker said: “The image of the construction industry desperately needs an overhaul and Barlows is striving to achieve that. The success of our JJB project is a prime example of how construction and refurbishment can be undertaken successfully, reducing the downtime for the client, finishing on budget and importantly, not compromising on quality.
“We are currently working with other leading retailers to provide them with the same level of service. These include Marks & Spencer, McDonald’s, BP and BAA."
For further information on Barlows visit www.barlowgroup.co.uk or call 0114 280 3000.
Lean principles in a nutshell
Lean construction has been described as “a continuous process of eliminating waste, meeting or exceeding all customer requirements, focusing on the entire value stream, and pursuing perfection in the execution of a constructed project.”
By planning ahead it can be ensured that there isn’t too much of anything on site, in terms of both materials and labour. Lean planning provides hour-by-hour site programming, providing subcontractors with specific time allocations for their work.
In doing this, production can be streamlined, reducing both costs and time. Note that costs are not reduced by doing anything on the cheap, but by cutting out all waste. That way the quality of the finish is never compromised.
At Barlows lean principles were introduced two years ago, which meant that a complete overhaul of the business process would be required. The business had been a shop fitter in the traditional sense of the word for nearly 130 years, but the company has been restructured from being a contracting-based company to one that focuses on project management.
The change of business emphasis was seen by some as radical. But managing the process from conception to completion has meant speaking to customers at a much earlier stage in the process - absolutely necessary to ensure that lean principles are implemented at every stage. The customer has an idea and Barlows can design it, deliver it, project manage it - and also maintain it.
By implementing lean principles the time that the store is closed can be reduced on a standard programme by up to 50 per cent. From a retailer's perspective, this is crucial, because if the work can be completed two weeks faster, the retailer will have two weeks worth of extra trading plus minimise customer disruption.
One of the main ways in which lean principles can be implemented is by developing a culture of communication. To ensure that everyone understands where they fit in, team briefings and workshops with all staff are essential. Whereas in the past, customers have been seen as a problem, with Lean techniques employees can focus on customer outcomes.
Because employees are stakeholders in a business, it is important to recognise that they are a captive audience internally. A challenge may lie with sub-contractors – for example decorators, floor layers, and joinery companies – to care about a company’s objective of opening stores quickly. For lean principles to be as effective as they possibly can be, everyone has to be involved.
Subcontractors must buy into the vision in the same way that employees have. And it’s not just sub-contractors; it is necessary to engage with customers on an entirely different level, through collaborative workshops to dissect existing programmes and to devise new methods and materials for delivery. The implementation of Lean is only possible through this comprehensive partnered approach.
