Crossrail West Section Upgrade
Mane was contracted to supply staff to the Crossrail western section upgrade by long-standing client, Vinci Construction UK. The £300 million project covered the 13 most western sections of the line between Acton and Maidenhead and involved the complete upgrade of these sites. Some were more intensive than others. Hayes & Harlington station, for example, was a complete new-build with associated work, with others requiring reconditioning including platform extensions and relocation of retaining walls.
Mane supplied labour between 2013 and 2018, with up to 250 contractors on-site at any one time. Project rates were agreed prior to works commencing, with flat rates set for each individual role so that no time was wasted during the project itself. Mane began by sourcing senior management to plan and survey works, before moving on to provide safety-critical staff, traffic marshals and skilled trades.
Labour was actively sourced and upskilled from the local area wherever possible, with approximately 85 per cent of staff located within 10 miles of the project, leaving a skills legacy for the region. Furthermore, working closely with site teams, Mane was able to identify more junior professionals who were eligible candidates for upskilling, and train them accordingly.
This project required a large proportion of the work to be carried out during critical periods, for example, blockade work over Christmas when stations were closed to the public. This was, unsurprisingly, complex to manage logistically. However, all work was completed on time and to budget, with minimal staff turnover.
To overcome the challenge of getting the sufficient volume of talent in the right place at the right time, Mane deployed a long-term contingent workforce and also used its talent reach and network to flood sites with talent during key periods. It was able to source these professionals through word-of-mouth with no issues, thanks to its fantastic reputation within industry.
Mane added extra consultancy value by working in true collaboration with the client. For example, being instrumental in strategic workforce planning so consultants could proactively recruit ahead of time. Mane was also given office space to work with the planning and resource team and provided duel-branded PPE to ensure full accountability. Contractors of every level undertook early on-boarding, completing E-learning modules before starting on-site. This visibility continued throughout the project, with Mane sponsoring monthly safety awards as well as maintaining a physical presence on the ground.
Feedback from the customer was excellent. The client received such recognition for the success of the project that the Senior Project Manager was subsequently offered a job as a Managing Director of a competitor – Mane is now sole supplier of staff within his new business.
“Mane has supported me with staff on several major rail projects. The personnel supplied are of a consistently high standard and are prepared to go the extra mile to deliver success. They have helped to take all of the potential risk out of using an agency as a primary source of staffing for my projects. I use Mane as a solid, reliable source of contract staffing for my projects. I have found them knowledgeable on all aspects of rail work and consider them an asset to my rail projects.”
- Andrew Jellis