CASE STUDY Project of the year winner 2012

Achieving Success in a Challenging Compliance-Driven Environment Delivering Value-Enhancing Practice with ECI-ACTIVE

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The cold store represented a facility of key strategic importance for Pfizer, due to the need for effective storage of around $400 million of life-saving vaccines and injectable medicines. A critical starting point was therefore to develop an integrated team and outline the definitive scope reference for the detailed design and implementation of the project. This was achieved through the adoption of an ECI-ACTIVE team-building workshop with involvement from both the Pfizer and WSP CEL teams.

This helped to create an open culture, inclusive of the subcontractors, facilitating a high level of trust. The use of shared site cabins and facilities, a team logo, monthly safety prizes and joint site breakfasts for the whole team at significant milestones also helped to encourage the culture of ‘one team’.

Interactive planning sessions were held between Pfizer, WSP CEL and the subcontractors to enable them to collaborate effectively and develop the optimum solutions. An example of one of the innovative subcontractor outputs resulting from this close interaction was the integration of the control system and air handling units, which was developed through a mutual agreement and simple adjustment of contract prices and scope. Other innovations included off-site construction for aspects of insulation for high level ductwork and collaborative design approaches to cladding design, which delivered airtightness well above industry best practice standards.

Having an engaged and motivated team throughout the complete supply chain allowed us to complete this project safely, ahead of plan and under budget. The underlying tools we used to develop this teamwork were the ECI-ACTIVE principles.

Nigel Barnes, Managing Director – WSP CEL

Management of subcontractor programmes was an important consideration during critical stages of the programme, which were identified as the internal installation of cabling, ductwork, sprinklers and racking. Providing the subcontractors with free access to the full facility would have dramatically affected the programme, which was therefore developed to enable them to work in parallel, with staggered occupation of various areas of the facility.

Effective information management and communication across the team was vital in supporting the open culture, effective resolution of any issues, and adherence to the programme. A number of technologies were adopted to facilitate this including: web cameras overlooking the site to enable design engineers to remotely view site progress; an online Microsoft SharePoint site allowing fast, controlled exchange of drawings and specifications; and annotated digital photographs.

The tight programme and compliance-driven nature of projects in the pharmaceutical industry meant that measurement of cost, and adherence to the handover date in particular were paramount for the successful delivery of the project. Linked project programmes provided an effective reporting platform, while on a micro level, story boards and daily calendar sheets were used during critical phases of the project to communicate the plan and report on progress at daily subcontractor meetings.

WSP CEL successfully delivered a challenging schedule, with front-end engineering study duration completed in 10 weeks and detailed design, procurement and validation delivered at 13 months. Through the adoption of the ECI-ACTIVE principles the project handover date was achieved, with Pfizer able to use key areas of the facility several days early.

The project completed 61,346 man-hours of construction work with no major injuries and all final accounts were settled without disputes

By adopting the ECI-ACTIVE principles we saw a number of benefits including a good safety record, teams that worked together effectively to resolve any issues and reduce risk, and the satisfactory completion of a project that was commercially successful for WSP CEL and the supply chain.

Brian Parker, Senior Project Manager – WSP CEL

For further information on this project and the individuals involved, please contact the ECI Head Office on +44(0)1509 222 620 or email [email protected].