Era of change in engineering, project delivery
PM Group is a world leader in the design and delivery of complex pharma, food, mission critical and med tech facilities.
Project delivery for the industrial sector is inherently complex with many factors influencing major change.
However, for engineering led projects, the secret to the future, says John Brophy, Group Head of Business Development, is flexibility.
“If you’re looking for a recent trend, it’s definitely flexibility. The future will be less about building new greenfield sites. So we need to design now with flexibility to ensure the facility and its systems meet future needs. More and more we are starting projects for clients who don’t have the precise characteristics of their final product but need to build ahead of demand. The result is that treatments get to market and to patients in the fastest possible time. Covid showed us that — just how fast the pharma industry has to be able to react and innovate to meet the needs of society,” he said.
Other major trends include decarbonisation and digitalisation. However, there are significant gaps in where organisations are in their journeys.
“Large manufacturing sites tend to have high demands on utilities such as power, water and waste treatment. Right now, they are looking to us for innovative solutions to allow them to transform and change to more efficient, renewable, and less intensive energy sources. One solution we have pioneered is a carbon neutral cleanroom.
“It is reducing the energy use for one of the most important spaces in a pharma or medical device facility. All of our multi-national clients are already looking to achieve carbon-neutral and eventually, net-zero facilities. It can be difficult for companies to know where to start. Our dedicated environment and sustainability team have developed models for clients to evaluate solutions and programme investments to deliver on their carbon commitments.”
Another area where clients are being bombarded by services and solutions is in the digitalization of projects, facilities and systems. There can often be a temptation to try to do everything in one go.
“There is a lot of pressure to implement digital solutions that potentially reduce cost and deliver faster to a higher quality. The opportunities are very exciting, however because of the complexity of high tech facilities, it is not a one-size fits all approach.
“To make it manageable and cost-effective, implementation has to be phased. In response to this, we developed an Industry 4.0 assessment application to empower clients to make critical decisions. Having the right advice from the outset, from organisations with a track record for designing and building these facilities is essential,” said John.
According to the IDA, there has been robust growth in FDI investment and FDI related employment over a continuous period of more than ten years. With over 300,000 people employed in the industry in Ireland, it is clear that Ireland continues to deliver.
“PM Group’s story of growth over 50 years mirrors the journey of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Ireland as well. Ireland has developed a world-class engineering services and construction industry. We see ourselves, and other Irish companies, working with the best here, developing solutions that in turn allowed us to grow and export that expertise all around the world,” said John.
Innovation is also a key part of what makes Ireland’s engineering industry so valuable to FDI investment. At the heart of engineering and project delivery is a continued focus on finding solutions, making them better, leaner and more efficient.
“That’s what we’re bringing now — that ethos of making big building projects flexible enough so that they have a longer life, which makes them more sustainable, and empowers our clients to better respond to whatever happens next. 50 years on, that’s why it’s such an interesting industry to be a part of,” said John.
PM Group is celebrating 50 years in business in 2023. The company is a world leader in the design and delivery of complex pharma, food, mission critical and med tech facilities. PM Group has over 3,500 people across 18 offices worldwide, and had a turnover of €475million in 2021.
Learn more at www.pmgroup.com
