Opinion: Strong partnerships can secure future of Midlands construction

Fostering long-term partnerships in the construction sector is key to the future growth of the industry, writes John Carlin, regional director (Midlands & South-West) at construction and civil engineering main contractor McLaughlin & Harvey.

A lot has been written and said in recent years about how the construction sector can set itself up for success over the next decade and beyond.

Indeed, it’s no secret that companies need to embrace new technologies and this is in part driven by the proliferation of artificial intelligence. It has also become clear that the sector needs to invest in the talent of tomorrow to ensure workforces are futureproofed.

There needs to be an emphasis on ensuring soft skills are valued and nurtured too, as there’s a danger that these are overlooked given the current focus on technical innovation.

However, there’s one strategy – which has always been at the heart of successful projects up and down the country – that businesses should not lose sight of, and that is the power of nurturing strong and lasting partnerships.

Ensuring alignment

Whether it’s with clients, consultants or the supply chain, forging a relationship with partners builds trust, lays the foundations for innovation, and creates the conditions for developments to succeed, despite any challenges that may arise through the lifecycle of a project.

One way it facilitates this is through ensuring alignment and a shared understanding of objectives, ways of working, values, and desired outcomes. Having a strong partnership means that everyone involved is on the same page, collectively working together to deliver.

Outcome over output

Elsewhere, robust, long-term partnerships within the sector can often lead to more lasting, meaningful impacts for communities and the people who interact with the buildings and places that our sector constructs.

When main contractors have an innate knowledge of what their partners are trying to achieve in construction, the end product becomes so much more than another project to finish and move on from; it becomes an exercise in pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved, whether it’s sustainability, social value, or the use of cutting-edge technology.

So often across our sector contractors prioritise getting on and off site as quickly as possible, but through long-term relationships there’s a laser-sharp focus on delivering buildings and places that move the dial. It’s not just about creating another development you’d find replicated in towns and cities across the UK.

It’s by taking this approach with our partners at National Grid that we’ve recently been appointed to deliver their new Electricity Transmission Control Centre at Hams Hall near Coleshill – a project which will provide much-needed infrastructure to meet the country’s future energy needs.

Ready to respond

But the impact of having strong partnerships isn’t just felt through the delivery of a project; it’s also crucial to winning new work and being on-hand to deliver when the sector needs it most.

When a business knows your capabilities, has seen first-hand the quality of your work, and has a complete understanding of your processes and approach, they can press go on projects safe in the knowledge they’ll have a partner who’s ready to respond and can fulfil their requirements on-time, on-budget and on-brief.

In recognition of this, our business has recently moved to a regional delivery model. With a Birmingham office and a growing local workforce on our project sites, businesses know that they are dealing with people who understand the local economic and social issues in the region.

This helps to unlock regeneration and viability and can speed up project delivery timescales due to the relationship and understanding that’s already in place.

The power of partnerships

Ultimately, there are a host of factors which will help the construction sector grow and succeed over the next ten years and beyond.

Not least, as an industry we need to ensure there’s a pipeline of talent coming in to make up the workforce of tomorrow.

But strong and lasting partnerships – and the economies of scale they bring – will be at the very heart of it all. People talking to people and understanding each other will always be central to success within our industry.