Gleeds will source clients and provide project management skills and land acquisition consultancy, while Unipart will advise suppliers on manufacturing performance and logistics.
The aim of the joint venture is to cut procurement times, which can be as long as 15 months, down to six weeks. Gleeds is in negotiation with one client and expects to sign the first deal before the end of the year.
The procurement strategy is similar to the Ministry of Defence’s prime contracting, in that Gleeds and Unipart will employ an architect, a construction manager, a services adviser and contractor, a structural consultant and contractor and an IT consultant and contractor.
Gleeds’ head of management consultancy Graham Robinson said that where suppliers could add value only one supplier would be chosen, but that no specific commodity supplier would be signed up.
Confirmed partners include services contractor Matthew Hall, Ove Arup Communications, software supplier IBM and computer hardware procurement specialist ComputaCentre. Gleeds is in talks with Amey about facilities management.
It is understood that Unipart experts, who have been working closely with car manufacturer Toyota, will visit suppliers and measure their performance. They will suggest cheaper ways of manufacturing and advise on ways to cut supply times and improve deliveries. In a system directly taken from the car industry, Unipart will score manufacturing suppliers on delivery times and certainty, payments and use of e-commerce. Contractors and consultants will be measured using the Movement for Innovation’s key performance indicators.
Robinson said: “We hope to develop a kit of parts and Unipart will manage the supply chain, making sure parts are delivered to the site on time and in the right sequence.” Gleeds and Unipart hope to expand the service to other sectors. Gleeds is in talks with architect epr about forming a supply chain for producing hotels.
