Jamie Major Gives an Update on Burdens Utilities Supply Chain and Logistics Contracts
Burdens has a well-established track record in the utilities market, based on developing relationships and improving our contribution to the supply chain. With over 80 years’ experience in working with infrastructure, construction and the environment, our success is based on providing quality products and services while identifying practical innovative solutions within our ever-changing markets.
The company’s ability to align with the objectives of existing and prospective clients has provided fundamental business improvements. This has helped clients to improve their own business processes and subsequent business efficiency, particularly in the utility market. As early adopters of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Burdens recognises that good IT systems are the basis of quality trading relationships and so is able to interface with clients’ own IT systems. This often has an administrative benefit to the client organisation and can save money, improve customer service, and offer operational advantages.
Throughout the past decade, Burdens has supported the e-trading element of the wider business strategy. We have invested substantially in back office improvements and business process optimisation whilst not losing sight of the importance of a user-friendly and widely accessible customer interface. We have come a long way in the past ten years in developing not only a strong reputation and expertise in this field but also in delivering bespoke systems tailored to the needs of our business partners. Burdens sister company Trading Zones provides web design and web-based software solutions which encompase those detailed in this article.
Our logistics contract with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water is approaching its third year in an agreement that runs until 2015. Working with Welsh Water, Burdens has developed a web-based Teamworks order-requisitioning system providing robust data capture. This includes Gang and Job IDs, address and product details, which together enable effective materials management, cost data capture and increased operational efficiencies all in a readily accessible online application. The system provides transparent information to ensure that the alliance can continually improve on materials management and job cost.
Teamworks tendering system
Building on the success of Teamworks and an excellent collaborative relationship with Welsh Water, Burdens with Trading Zones has created a Teamworks tendering system (above) to dramatically manage project costs streamlining the tendering process. The tendering system – currently being beta tested – will enable Welsh Water to review and manage utilities projects right from design through to sign off. Contractors bid for work using the system which records detailed project cost breakdowns: these are then evaluated through the user-friendly interface, allowing Welsh Water to the best proposal. Benefits include transparency of costs and audit trial, project tracking and in-depth reporting.
Welsh Water is not an isolated example of Burdens adding value in the supply chain. We provide similar solutions to other utilities contracts for organisations such as Scottish Water, Northern Gas Network and Thames Water and we are now moving into Australia. Here, we are developing a business modelling system to help Chevron with a what-if analysis regarding the siting of locations and logistics for the Gorgon Project, one of the world's largest natural gas projects. This is the largest single-resource natural gas project in Australia's history and, to quote Chevron, “a story of energy and the environment as well as technology and expertise”. The gas fields being developed are located about 130km off the north-west coast of Western Australia.
Burdens was delighted to be awarded this prestigious contract, beating stiff competition such as IBM. What makes us stand out from the crowd? Well, it goes back to understanding the client’s business and requirements. As part of the tendering process, Burdens created a pilot modelling system using real data from Chevron to promote our capabilities; this undoubtedly illustrated our understanding of their requirements and our ability to deliver. At present, the modelling solution for Chevron is in beta testing stage ready for live deployment in April.
Undoubtedly e-trading and e-business solutions carried out with sound mutually derived partnerships provide cost savings and improved all-round business competence. Burdens recent achievements in adding value have been as a result of understanding, evaluating and delivering solutions using our own team of software developers and cost-effective open-source software – all backed by our expert knowledge and experience of logistics, warehousing and e-trading. With these core competences and a unique ownership structure we are able react to opportunities very quickly.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss value-engineered solutions with utilities businesses and invite you to see how we can help you.
Jamie Major
MD Burdens Utilities
