Projects by History
DSM
Dalry Ayrshire Scotland
Vitamins and Fine Chemicals
Frameworks 2012 – 2023
Alba Planning Consultants were initially commissioned to support planning on site and have been on the DSM framework since 2012. Schedules were produced by Project Managers using MS Project software. On review APC recommended the use of professional planners and an enterprise software where we selected a cloud based primavera option hosted by loadspring. We also provided a planning manager and planners and developed a clear EPS, we also created project templates where selection was based in finance or/and complexity. These templates were resource loaded to DSM had visibility of future resource requirements. Resources included design, trades, construction and project managers. At template level these were generic resources and roles and moved to name resource as information matured.
DSM is a good example of where due to excellent performance APC were asked to expand our framework provision due to the quality of resources and services we supply. Within a year APC placed QS’s, and Construction and project managers. This management team have been planning and managing a wide range of projects from LCP’s to large volume smaller projects.
Alba also supported DSM in modelling risk where we ran workshops and identified risk impact in a range of percentiles.
Resources provided by APC:
- Planning Manager
- Senior Project Manager
- Project Managers
- Construction Managers
Services Provided by APC
- Provision of a PMO
- Management of Database, software provision and secure cloud technology
- Planning and Commercial Resource
- Purchasing Lead
- Commercial Management Lead
- Risk Modelling
- Management Reporting Specialist
“I have been using Alba Planning Consultants (APC) extensively for the last 5 years to support the Improve Plant (IP) Department at our DSM site in Dalry. The APC team has grown from initially supplying a couple of resources to improve project planning to the current position of supplying a multi-disciplinary team that supports planning, project management, construction management and commercial/contract management. Without exception the quality and competence of the resources supplied has been first class and the team have a strong track record on site of successful project delivery. APC has also shown excellent flexibility to support the peaks and troughs in workload that occur year to year. Without doubt the APC team has been instrumental in the success of the IP Department over the last 5 years delivering multi million pound investment to the Dalry site.”
– Scott McIntyre
SSEN
UK and Ireland
Transmission & Distribution
APC have been on the SSEN Project Controls Framework since 2012. APC have provided Lead Planners to integrate within the SSEN team, to support the Delivery of Large Capital Projects, including critical projects such as:
- Stonehenge A303 Bypass 33kV
- Construction Power Supply
- High Speed Rail (HS2) – TBM 132kV
- Construction Power Supply
- Shetland Integrated Energy Project
- Heathrow Expansion Project
- Melgarve 400/132kV Project
- Glendoe Hydro Tunnel Repair Project
Alba have worked with the SSEN to develop standard project templates to allow improved programme management giving early identification of resource overload or available capacity. We have also coded schedules so we can define the type of work, the location of the work and the outage requirements to deliver the work.
Alba have also supported:
- Outage Planning Team with Access Plan for Transmission Reinforcement Projects
- Design and procurement schedule for Southern Caledonia region
“Alba Planning Consultants (APC) are a capable, competent and professional organisation and easy to deal with in terms of integrating project services and sharing common goals. APC adopts an agile and flexible approach to supporting and delivering projects and concentrates on adding long-term value from the onset where maximum influence and opportunity can be gained.
APC can be relied upon to deliver tasks even when faced with impossible situations and are dedicated and results driven which is the very ethos of APC and its business leaders. In summary, APC have proven to be a reliable and conscientious framework contractor for over five years and have demonstrated a genuine commitment to looking of the interest of SSE Transmission and Enterprise”.
– Andrew Malkin, M.Sc., C.Eng., F.I.Mech.E. Programme Director
George Leslie Limited (GLL) and BiWater Leslie Consortium
UK and Ireland
Water and Waste Water
Frameworks 2003 – 2011
APC joined the GLL framework in 2003. Initially we were seconded to provide a planning service to both support GLL internally and comply with the planning and reporting requirements of Scottish Water Solutions on the delivery of the Q&S111a and 111b programmes of work.
This work encompassed a wide range of projects and project locations from the Scottish borders to Northern Islands including Orkney. The projects were turnkey covering scope, design, procurement, construction and commissioning and varied from short pipework infrastructure or facility upgrades to new water and waste water stations built on green field sites.
Our original request was to set up a PMO to support this large portfolio of work and provide the appropriate resource to support this from Planning Manager to Senior Planners and Planners. Schedules had to be produced in Primavera software and reported against baseline complying with the SWS reporting calendar.
Due to the sheer volume of work APC framework was expanded to include further resource these included.
Resources provided by APC:
- Project Managers
- Construction Managers
- Project Closeout Managers
Service Provided by APC
- Programme Management
- Commercial Management
- Document Management
- Provision of O&M Manuals
- Planning and Project Controls Service
“Alba carried out work on a number of complex and difficult projects, which changed on a daily basis, their expertise allowed us to maintain control of individual Projects and Programmes of work, which meant we were recognised as one of the best performing teams within the Scottish Water Programme of Works. Any staff provided were perfectly suited to the position for which they were required, as well as fitting well into our teams, they all showed initiative to get things done as quickly and efficiently as possible. I was impressed by the “we can do it” approach taken by everyone. The work that Alba was required to carry out was completed in very tight timescales and to a very high quality. In my 30 years of experience, I have found Alba to be the best that I have encountered.”
– Bill Taylor, Delivery & Operations Manager
DSRL
Dounreay Caithness Scotland
Project Planning
Frameworks 2010 – 2015
APC have been on the SSEN Project Controls Framework since 2012. APC have provided Lead Planners to integrate within the SSEN team, to support the Delivery of Large Capital Projects, including critical projects such as:
- Stonehenge A303 Bypass 33kV
- Construction Power Supply
- High Speed Rail (HS2) – TBM 132kV
- Construction Power Supply
- Shetland Integrated Energy Project
- Heathrow Expansion Project
- Melgarve 400/132kV Project
- Glendoe Hydro Tunnel Repair Project
Alba have worked with the SSEN to develop standard project templates to allow improved programme management giving early identification of resource overload or available capacity. We have also coded schedules so we can define the type of work, the location of the work and the outage requirements to deliver the work.
Alba have also supported:
- Outage Planning Team with Access Plan for Transmission Reinforcement Projects
- Design and procurement schedule for Southern Caledonia region
“I whole heartedly recommend Alba Planning Consultants Limited. A small company stays in business by retaining the best individuals. Alba is easy to work with, flexible and retains dedicated, knowledgeable, project professionals.”
– Paul White, Head of Programme Management
UKAEA
Dounreay Caithness Scotland
Strategy Planning
Frameworks 2004 – 2007
APC provided a Lead planning engineer and planning engineer to reevaluate the Integrated site decommissioning schedule. Targets were set to reduce the End of Site date by circa 25 years. This team worked with Dounreay and Partners to challenge time frames and original assumptions in logic and source information. This schedule was successfully reduced and a revised baseline established.
APC managed and co-ordinated the area planning work on site and trained and mentored Dounreay Staff.
Deliverables
- A Clear Strategic Critical Path
- Production of an accelerated Decommissioning Schedule
- Reduced Over-all Decommissioning Costs through reduction of timescale
- Resource Requirements by skill Set (Internal and External)
- Costs by Year
- New Facility Requirements to Support Decommissioning
“In all aspects of my dealings with Alba I have found them very capable and diligent. They develop an early and accurate focus upon client requirements. Success requires innovation and commitment, Alba was prepared to lead by example in these areas. I was very impressed with the work ethic and commitment displayed by Alba Planning.”
– A Wilson Manson, Dounreay Baseline Manager
UKAEA
Dounreay Caithness Scotland
Frameworks 1997 – 2000
APC provided the Lead Planning Engineer responsible for the production and development of UKAEA’s first fully integrated site decommissioning schedule. This was Dounreay’s first fully integrated schedule and was developed through various workshops and Interactive Planning sessions designed to identify all inter-facility logic and constraints.
This was supported by Senior Management and site Directors. APC Planned a series of independent Level 2 Studies to underpin the durations, resource requirements and costs used in the master integrated schedule.
The Strategy Schedule Included:
- A Clear Strategic Critical Path
- Nuclear Waste Management Requirements (On and Off Site)
- Nuclear Waste Storage Requirements
- Resource profiles for Project Managers, Planning Engineers, Cost Engineers, Project Engineers and Supervisors.
- Costs by Year
- New Facility Requirements to Support Decommissioning
This schedule gave UKAEA’s management the tools required to model the impact of a variety of strategic options. This schedule was part of the original plan submitted to the NDA for the decommissioning of Dounreay.
M&W Zander, Motorola Semi-Conductor Facility
Tianjin, Peoples Republic of China
Summary: APC provided Planning & Planning Management service and Office management service to M+W Zander supporting Motorola’s first Semi-Conductor Facility in China. This new build project was from a green field site. APC developed the Infrastructure and Equipment Installation Design and Build Schedule which was integrated into the overall master schedule. The schedule was supported by a range of dashboards and progress curves. APC Managed a team of planners tasked with the development and update of detailed schedules using primavera software. Duties included supporting internal progress Audits by Motorola and M+W Zander ensuring accurate percentage completions and forecasts were underpinned by robust detailed schedules.
APC provided the Management of the production of the master schedule.
The schedule included:
- A Clear Critical Path
- Resource Loading (Trades, Designers and Management)
- Material and Equipment Procurement (Including Customs Timescales)
- Planned remote design (UK Based)
Detailed Installation Schedule by Services - Recording of Delays
Office Management
The scope included:
- Management of Document Control Department
- Management of Transport and Accommodation between UK & China
- Payment of Expenses for Contactors
- Management of Visa Applications
“Alba Planning Consultants Limited handles the pressure of work extremely well. I would highly recommend Alba for the management of any Planning or Project Controls Departments in the future.”
– Tony Wells, Managing Director, M&W Zander
M&W Zander, IBM Semi-Conductor Facility
Fishkill, New York State, USA
Facility Upgrade Projects
Summary: APC provided Planning Management and Office management for M+W Zander supporting IBM’s technology upgrade. The Expansion to the Existing facility required additional services as well as modification to existing services. The schedule was supported by a range of dashboards and progress curves. APC Managed a team of planners tasked with the development and update of detailed schedules using primavera software. Duties included presenting progress status to IBM senior management, project director and project stakeholders on a weekly basis.
APC provided the Management of the production of the master schedule.
The schedule included:
- A Clear Critical Path
- Resource Loading (Trades Designers and Management)
- Procurement of materials and equipment
- Planned remote design (UK Based)
- Detailed Design
- Detailed Installation Schedule by Services
- Recording of Delays
Office Management
The scope included:
- Management of Document Control Department
- Management of Design Change Control
- Management of Flights and Accommodation between UK & China
- Management of Car Fleet
- Payment of Expenses for Contactors
- Management of Visa Applications
– Tony Wells, Managing Director, M&W Zander
First Engineering Ltd.
United Kingdom
West Coast Mainline Upgrade
Alba Planning Consultants Limited (APC) were selected as a framework provider to First Engineering. Projects included the West Coast mainline and Tender Programme for the Rail modifications pre London Olympics. (APC) supported First Engineering producing a detailed installation schedule. This schedule was fully detailed including resource, equipment and materials. The schedule also covered calculated possessions ensuring maximum productivity was achieved during limited access periods.
APC also developed a database to categorise and record delays, safety statistics and progress against baseline.
Resources provided by APC
- 2 No Lead Planning Engineers
- 1 Project Engineers
- 1 Database Developer and Operator
Services provided by APC
- Integrated Material and Manpower Tracking Database
- Performance and Productivity Database
- Delay Analysis Database
“Alba Planning supplied top quality resources who became key team members during the delivery of the West Coast mainline OHL replacement project. Their team also supported bids including major rail work and infrastructure modifications and upgrades for the London Olympics, they work diligently producing quality schedules and performance reports always meeting challenging timeframes”
– Eddie McBride – Director/SPM
