Termed “The Murray & Roberts Way”, this process draws on best practice externally and from the many successful projects undertaken by the Group. By creating a common business language and common systems for project delivery, it will become one of the golden threads binding a Unitary Murray & Roberts and making it a reality.

In the past, Murray & Roberts companies have tended to conduct their business development and marketing activities separately. By “hunting together” for opportunities in local and international markets, they are now able to join forces as a seamless Murray & Roberts team, offering and delivering the superior performance many customers have come to expect from the Group.

“In future all of our project customers will enjoy the same experience of Murray & Roberts, regardless of their market sector,” says Sean Flanagan, a director of Murray & Roberts Limited, responsible for the Group’s industrial and mining markets.

“For our own people, this will ensure improved marketability of skills and mobility within the Group, as well as communication across projects using a common language for implementation,” he adds.
Stephen Pell, a Murray & Roberts director responsible for the Group’s building and civil engineering market, outlines some of the practical benefits of the Murray & Roberts Way.

“By developing a shared database with common systems for functions such as estimating, procurement, supply chain management, quality control and risk management, we will be able to submit project bids and implement projects in an integrated way.

“We are also developing a pool of multi-skilled project managers who can work on a range of different projects, enabling us to react fast to project opportunities and to mobilise project teams more efficiently.”

A connectivity process currently underway has identified a scope for shared services and project networks within Murray & Roberts. The backbone for connectivity in the Group will be the financial management and consolidation system, while a standardised project management package will ensure that the Murray & Roberts Way is applied consistently throughout the Group.

Murray & Roberts CE Brian Bruce has indicated that the Group’s next development aspiration – Beyond Rebuilding Murray & Roberts – is likely to include the acquisition of new business capacity and the engagement of new geographic markets, which will introduce some form of risk and added complexity. In such an environment, the Murray & Roberts Way will prove to be an invaluable risk management mechanism.
Lesley Lambert