6th September 2022
Collaboration and joint ventures are becoming ever more prevalent for SMEs looking to combine their skills and expertise to bid for major industry contracts across a range of sectors.
McMenon recently announced that, as part of the NWEC Alliance, it has secured two major contract wins, worth more than £4million with Programme and Project Partners at Sellafield.
NWEC – a collaborative partnership between McMenon and TIS Cumbria – will provide process cabinets for the SIXEP Continuity Plant (SCP) with a total contract value of £3.5 million.
This will include the fabrication, assembly, testing and supply of wash and process cabinets to be used in the site’s new-build facility that will ensure the existing Site Ion Exchange Effluent Plant facility, which has been running since 1985, can continue its vital work for decades to come.
Another contract is for 191 fabrications for theSellafield Product and Residue Store Retreatment Plant (SRP) with a contract value of just over £800,000.
This includes a manufacturing package for specialist trolleys, handling equipment, personnel access and machine operating and maintenance tooling.
McMenon CEO, Anand Puthran, said: “Winning two new contracts with PPP, worth more than £4million, is a ringing endorsement for the skills and quality within McMenon and TIS Cumbria – who make up the NWEC Alliance.
“Not only does it meet McMenon’s diversification aims but also puts us firmly on the map among top class manufacturing companies in West Cumbria and the wider UK civil nuclear infrastructure community.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our engineering and manufacturing expertise and show what two independent SMEs on the west coast of Cumbria can achieve through collaborative working.
“NWEC’s aim was always to help establish a long-term and sustainable legacy for the West Cumbrian and wider UK economy through the provision of opportunities, skills, engagement and employment. And this contract win is a huge boost to our aims.
“We are all excited to get started. Our thanks go to Programme and Project Partners for the endorsement and we look forward to developing our relationship with Sellafield Ltd moving forward.”
McMenon Chief Operations Officer, Shiby Bernard, who manages the engineering and manufacturing side of the business, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and showcases the ability of our highly skilled workforce.
“This contract win will allow us to support more young people into engineering careers and I personally would be looking to encourage more females into the sector. This is a cause we have always championed through our apprenticeship and schools programme.”
The collaboration also benefits different sectors, including professional services.
Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors supported McMenon Engineering Services with the legal framework underpinning its NWEC Alliance with TIS Cumbria Ltd.
Sam Lyon, Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors Head of Corporate and Commercial, said: “It’s great to see so many businesses across Cumbria and the North collaborating and being successful in winning such major contracts. It’s fantastic news not only for them, but for the wider economy and the community.
“We are seeing more and more businesses collaborating in this way. We work with a business to make sure it is clear who will be responsible for what. Is a new joint venture company to be formed for the bid or will the collaborating businesses remain separate and enter into a contractual joint venture? In order to have a chance to win bids it’s vital that this work is done upfront.
“We made sure we put in place all those structures to keep all the partners happy and allow them to progress smoothly, which it is great to see has resulted in the recent £4m contract win. This level of expertise and service is available in Cumbria. Businesses don’t have to go further afield.
“It’s brilliant to see that it has been a successful outcome for McMenon and the NWEC Alliance as it will support more jobs in the county.”
Anand said: “We have collaborated with a range of organisations to help make this happen and we thank Sam and the team at Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors for their expertise. We are looking forward to working on the PPP and further developing our relationship with Sellafield Ltd.”
John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “It’s brilliant to see the success McMenon and TIS Cumbria Ltd have had through forming the NWEC Alliance.This is a great example of the enhanced capability from collaboration and the benefit it brings to SMEs, industry, the West Cumbria community and the wider economic region.”
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/latest-win-for-west-cumbrian-firms-with-sellafield-partnership