Project implementation using the EPCM model lightens the industrial investor’s work load
Project execution according to the EPCM model is best suited to situations where the builder of an industrial facility has a clear vision of what needs to be done and at what price. The only thing missing is the time needed for the implementation, the requisite competence and the expert organisation.
As the EPCM contractor, Sweco leads the project and the customer can focus on its core area of expertise. The EPCM (Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management) service solution is always customised on a case-by-case basis with the intention of ensuring that the process is as light as possible for the customer.
“If the trust is there, the customer isn’t needed for running the project in practice. It’s enough that a person is involved who can place orders or, in other words, establish commercial relationships with the selected constructors, equipment suppliers and service providers,” says Leading Specialist at Sweco Samuli Puhakka.
Experience expedites project management
The needs of the customer are determined at the beginning of an EPCM project. If the big picture is not yet entirely clear, a preliminary planning project can help to breakdown the actual costs and other aspects related to the investment.
“We recommend lighter project arrangements when more understanding of the work at hand is required,” Puhakka says. “It benefits everyone to ensure that the project budget covers everything all the way to the finish line.”
An industrial investment is a time-consuming process that involves many phases. The experience of the EPCM contractor helps with efficient use of time, which ensures that the project proceeds smoothly, there is no unnecessary work and errors are minimised.
“We handle industrial projects of varying sizes on a constant basis, which expedites the coordination process,” Puhakka says. “A sufficiently broad consultant organisation provides in-depth expertise in a variety of areas, guaranteeing a highly professional end result.”
EPCM is flexible in surprising situations
As an EPCM contractor, Sweco bears overall responsibility for the project from the planning and procurement phases to worksite monitoring, construction management and commissioning.
“As the project coordinator, we are also often responsible for environmental and governmental matters, risk management, and ensuring cost, schedule and quality targets,” Sweco’s industrial expert Jarkko Heikura says.
Transparent and smooth information flow form one of the cornerstones of an EPCM project. “When a single operator takes responsibility, it’s possible to react to unexpected situations without any delay at all,” Heikura says. At the same time, it is possible for the customer to change the plans or overlap construction phases flexibly over the course of the project.
Technical and financial security for extensive industrial investments
In the context of facility investments costing hundreds of millions of euros, it is important for the factory or production line to be operational on schedule without any delays. The EPCM method reduces risks particularly in large and technically challenging industrial projects.
“We don’t make decisions for the customer, but we support the decision-making process by providing unbiased information about technological options and their cost impacts, for example,” says Mika Kierikka, Sweco’s circular economy expert. “Sticking to the project schedule and budget is not a problem when the project management has a sufficiently comprehensive view of the efforts – including the customer’s goals.”
Kierikka emphasises that the purpose of an EPCM consultant is always to look after the interests of the customer. “We make sure that the customer knows how the project is progressing at all times, with regard to both implementation and expenditures.”