PROJECT CASE STUDY
Grain Processing Plant
Major Shutdown & Capacity Upgrade
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M&E shutdown · Full-time on-site delivery
Planning and programme controls for a critical M&E shutdown at one of the UK's major grain processing facilities, building the master programme from 3D models and engineering input and coordinating all contractor schedules throughout delivery.
CLIENT
Confidential
PROJECT VALUE
£10M
LOCATION
London, England
SECTOR
Food & Agricultural Processing
CONTRACT
NEC3 Option A
THE CHALLENGE
Building a credible shutdown programme where no usable schedule existed at the start
This facility is one of the UK's major grain processing plants. Shutdowns at facilities of this scale are time-critical: the plant is offline, and every day of delay carries a direct operational cost. The specific planning challenge on this project was that the construction programme could not be built from an existing schedule. It had to be developed from scratch, drawing on 3D models, engineering drawings and expert input from the engineering team.
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That is a harder and more time-sensitive starting point than a programme integration exercise. It meant the planning team had to establish a credible critical path from technical source material before the shutdown began, and then maintain that programme, integrate all contractor schedules into a master, and keep commissioning visibility throughout a complex M&E shutdown delivery phase.
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This support gave the project team a programme built from first principles, a controlled integrated master schedule and a consistent daily reporting rhythm that kept all parties aligned through a pressurised shutdown environment.
PROJECT DETAILS
Planning software
Programme source
Delivery model
Update cadence
Specialist scope
Project type
Primavera P6
3D models & drawings
Full-time on-site
Daily & weekly
M&E shutdown
Critical shutdown & upgrade
WHAT WE DELIVERED
Planning and controls built from the ground up
PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT
Programme built from 3D models and engineering input
Developed the construction programme by gathering information from 3D models, drawings and expert input from the engineering team, creating a credible critical path and shutdown sequence where no previous schedule existed.
ON-SITE DELIVERY
Full-time dedicated M&E shutdown planner
A dedicated planner with relevant M&E technical expertise embedded on site throughout the shutdown, providing real-time progress capture and direct daily engagement with all parties involved in delivery.
PROGRAMME INTEGRATION
All contractor schedules into one master programme
Integrated all contractor and subcontractor schedules into a single Primavera P6 master programme, giving the project team clear visibility of construction sequence and progress across every party involved in the shutdown.
COMMISSIONING
Key deliverables and commissioning system tracker
Developed phased plans to manage the sequencing of subsequent trades, ensuring smooth integration and clear interface management as the project moved between construction stages.
GOVERNANCE
Planning and programme outputs on this project were issued under NEC-accredited governance.
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DAILY MANAGEMENT
Daily construction meeting facilitation
Facilitated daily construction meetings throughout the shutdown, ensuring consistent communication between all parties, rapid resolution of emerging constraints and maintained alignment on critical milestone progress.
REPORTING & PERFORMANCE
Weekly dashboard and management reporting
Implemented a weekly project metrics dashboard monitoring construction progress, giving senior management stakeholders a consistent, objective view for informed decision-making at each stage of the shutdown.
WHAT THIS DELIVERED
A credible master programme built from technical source material before shutdown began
PROGRAMME FOUNDATION
01
The programme was developed from 3D models and engineering input rather than existing schedules, giving the shutdown a structured, defensible sequence from the outset rather than relying on assumptions.
All contractor schedules unified into one controlled master
INTEGRATED CONTROL
02
Every contractor and subcontractor schedule integrated into a single P6 master programme, providing clear visibility of construction sequence across all parties involved in a complex M&E shutdown.
Critical milestones and commissioning activities actively tracked throughout
COMMISSIONING VISIBILITY
03
The key deliverables and commissioning system tracker kept critical commissioning milestones visible and monitored, so follow-on activities could be planned with confidence rather than discovered late.
Daily coordination and consistent management reporting throughout the shutdown
STAKEHOLDER ALIGNMENT
04
Daily construction meetings and a weekly project metrics dashboard gave all stakeholders, from site teams to senior management, a consistent, objective basis for decisions and coordination throughout delivery.