Aerial view of an industrial plant with a green and purple hologram overlay; Bau KBC Management Consulting

Industry & Mechanical Engineering | Strategy

Construction Project Consulting – From Concept to Commissioning and Ramp-Up

When COVID-19 travel restrictions brought the construction of an Asian plant by a leading building materials manufacturer to a standstill shortly before the completion of the assembly phase, the company faced a seemingly insurmountable challenge: How do you commission a highly complex production facility when the experts needed to do so are not allowed to enter the country? As an experienced construction project consultancy, KBC developed the remote commissioning concept based on its proprietary CROME framework and carried out the commissioning—which was ultimately performed entirely remotely—while meeting the schedule and budget 100 percent.

Construction Project Consulting by the Numbers

On-time and within budget

Suppliers Connected Remotely in Real Time

Months from Concept to Implementation

The Customer

An international manufacturer of building materials for sustainable construction

The client is a leading international manufacturer of insulation materials. The company plans and builds production facilities worldwide—from engineering and procurement to logistics, construction, and commissioning—and turned to a specialized construction project consulting firm for this complex construction project. The Asian plant, which is intended to supply the region with environmentally friendly insulation materials for sustainable construction, was brought to a standstill by COVID-19 restrictions shortly before the completion of the installation phase. After about six months of shutdown, the company made the bold decision to complete construction of the facility and bring it online, even though the necessary experts could not enter the country—or could do so only under extreme conditions (a two-week quarantine in a hotel room). Waiting for the pandemic to end was not an option: the products were needed in the market, the majority of the investment had already been made, and there was no end in sight to the pandemic.

The Project

Construction Projects: Consulting for Greenfield Plant Construction with Remote Processes

As a specialized construction project consulting firm for plant construction and greenfield projects, KBC developed a comprehensive remote project management concept and oversaw its operational implementation from start to finish. The original plan was to set up a central remote project control center to simulate a construction site-like atmosphere and facilitate seamless live communication with the construction site in Asia. However, since even in Germany groups were at times no longer permitted to work together in the same room, this concept was adapted: Ultimately, the entire project was managed entirely remotely, with all participants working from their respective locations. On-site, a custom-assembled team of engineers, electricians, and tradespeople was deployed; experts from suppliers worldwide, working remotely, provided real-time guidance to the local team. Warranty and liability issues involving more than 15 suppliers were fully resolved and contractually secured despite the project being executed entirely remotely.

Portrait photo of Daniel Zeranski, Director at Kemény Boehme Consultants (KBC). A man with short dark brown hair and round tortoiseshell-style horn-rimmed glasses, looking at the camera with a friendly and confident expression. He is wearing a dark navy blue suit over a white shirt without a tie, his hands relaxed in his pants pockets.

This Is How We View Construction Projects: Consulting and Digital Project Management

For us, construction project consulting means finding the most effective solution—even if the path forward seems unfamiliar at first. In this project, we demonstrated that a clear structure and close collaboration between the client and the project team can bridge any physical distance, even when everything ultimately had to be handled entirely remotely. Our consulting doesn’t end with a recommendation; it continues right through to the point where operations are up and running.

Daniel Zeranski, Director at KBC

The result

100% On-Time and On-Budget Completion Through Business-Oriented Construction Project Consulting

The project management, conducted entirely remotely, was successfully completed without any accidents or incidents—100% on schedule and within budget, achieved through professional construction project consulting. Beyond the immediate success of the project, a sustainable solution was created to implement commissioning more efficiently in the future. The carbon footprint was reduced by eliminating travel for suppliers, project managers, and experts. Furthermore, the project served as a catalyst for the adoption of new technologies throughout the company, specifically in the areas of production and engineering across all divisions. Last but not least, the successful implementation of this bold decision under uncertain conditions strengthened the entrepreneurial spirit within the organization.

Daniel Zeranski

Director

Facing a similar challenge? Talk to us

Whether it’s construction project consulting, consulting for greenfield projects, or project management under challenging conditions: In a brief discussion, we’ll determine which steps make sense and how KBC— an international boutique consulting firm based in Munich —can help you move forward.

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