Joining forces in a consortium clears the way for bigger projects.

Future 50 member Proeon Systems has formed a contracting consortium with three other businesses, bringing in the breadth of specialisms needed to take on bigger projects.

“The catalyst was a project where we were the lead, but actually we needed to bring in the others,” explains MD Richard Miller. “We thought, this is a good idea beyond this one project.”

East Anglian Daily Times: The Proeon team (l-r) engineering director Kevin Magee, MD Richard Miller and director Eddie MageeThe Proeon team (l-r) engineering director Kevin Magee, MD Richard Miller and director Eddie Magee (Image: Proeon Systems)

As well as electrical-automation engineers Proeon Systems who specialise in safety and control systems, the consortium consists of specialist mechanical engineers Puce Newman Pipework, process engineers OSL and civil engineers MacKinnon Construction.

“Previously, customers would have employed a company like Wood or Worley to run a project, with us working behind them. Now they can come to us, with the consortium working closely together, delivering directly,” explains Mr Miller.

“Each of us has worked as a piece of the jigsaw and we all recognise that, because we have likeminded people, we can be a four-piece jigsaw of our own.

“We got together collaboratively and openly. As we have the same approach, that will be conducive to good business,” he says, adding that the consortium is set up to be flexible, involving only those members necessary for a given project.

“We have to look big enough to take on the contract risk,” says Mr Miller. “While we’re a small company of around 50 people, working with other small companies, the client still wants the peace of mind that they’re placing a project somewhere secure.”

By demonstrating both scale and a breadth and depth of expertise than none of the individual members could field on their own, the consortium should tap into the way the engineering market is changing. “There are businesses out there who think there’s a better way of doing things,” concludes Mr Miller. "We’re in that group, ready to give it a go.”

For more information, see www.proeon.co.uk