Collaboration by an integrated enterprise of seven member organisations and hundreds of suppliers in the highways space has resulted in certification to the exacting ISO 18404 Lean standard, something that is actively contributing to safer, more efficient and productive infrastructure delivery.
SMP Alliance was established by National Highways ways to deliver motorway upgrades and safety enhancements across England’s strategic road network. Following a comprehensive review and independent audit by BSI, SMP Alliance has now achieved ISO 18404 Lean certification. This makes the Alliance only the fourth organisation in the world, and the very first alliance, to achieve this high standard.
Lean approaches are designed to improve workflow reliability, boost efficiency and productivity, as well as drive out waste and unnecessary cost. Originally utilised in manufacturing, the benefits of the Lean certification are now being embraced by progressive organisations in other industries, including #infrastructure delivery.
Certification to the ISO18404 Lean standard asks organisations to demonstrate they are working more efficiently and can show improvements in the achievement of timelines and targets for projects.
SMP Alliance is an integrated enterprise comprising: National Highways as the client; Fluor Corporation as the production management partner; Jacobs and WSP in the UK as the digitally-enabled design partners; Balfour Beatty plc, bmJV (the BAM UK & Ireland / Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Joint Venture) and Costain Group PLC as the three on-site assembly partners.
Together, these organisations work collaboratively with over 100 suppliers using the Project 13 Network delivery model, along with a programmatic approach and contemporary practices such as digital innovations and off-site manufacturing.
Project 13 an industry-led response that adopts a new business model based on an enterprise (not on traditional transactional arrangements) to boost certainty and productivity in delivery, improve whole life outcomes in operation and support a more sustainable, innovative and highly-skilled industry.
(Picture – National Highways/SMP Alliance LinkedIn)
