Fast Track implementation of projects is the new trend within project
execution - and this is no wonder since Fast Track is synonymous with
minimization of Time to Market and maximization of Return on Investment and
CAPEX. Three convincing arguments in any boardroom when a decision must be made
on the investment in new process plants or process lines.
However, successful implementation of a Fast Track project requires that
customers set aside their traditional attitude to project execution. This
document describes the required project phases and the essential members of the
project group - and their respective importance for the success of a Fast Track
project.
Pre-project
The aim of the pre-project is to form a
design basis which is so detailed that there will be no doubt about the scope
of supply, the delivery time or the price once a GO is given for the project.
In reality, this means that Detailed Engineering is carried out prior to start
up of the project.
The most secure way is therefore first to select the supplier and then let
this supplier carry out the pre-project. Obviously, this approach will lead to
protests from the Purchase Department as it will be practically impossible to
obtain alternative quotations or quotations for subcontracts. However, the
advantages of the Fast Track approach in terms of Time to Market, Return on
Investment and CAPEX are far bigger as Fast Track execution of the project will
allow the customer to bring his product to the market with several months’ lead
compared to traditional project execution. Moreover, the risk of large budget
overruns is minimized.
When the supplier is chosen at such an early stage of the project, the
selected supplier must be able to assume the entire responsibility for the
supply, ie. the selected supplier shall – at a minimum - understand the process
and have access to all necessary process technology, and he shall be able to
deliver and integrate the total supply. GEA Liquid Processing can do this.
The composition of the project group is an essential success criterion of a
Fast Track project. The importance of having all stakeholders represented in
the project group should not be underestimated, ie. both the customer and the
supplier must make available all relevant resources to the project. From the
customer’s side it is important that the project group not only includes the
project manager and project package managers, but also any other staff group
who will be involved in the operation and maintenance of the production
facility later on, ie. both process operators and maintenance staff.
Another important success criterion is the supplier’s ability to visualize
the project in the pre-project phase. With the right CAE tools the supplier can
visualize the final project at a detail level giving all parties involved a
total underŽstanding of the content of the project - and thereby secure one of
the absolutely most important success factors, namely mutual tuning of
expectations.
Project Execution
As the term says a Fast Track project
must be carried out fast. We also like to use the term “Dual Track” for this
kind of projects as two sub-projects are in fact carried out simultaneously at
two different sites; one sub-project being the total building and utility
equipment supply, and the other sub-project being the total process plant
supply. In the pre-project phase the process plant supply is divided into a
number of process modules to be manufactured on skids and later on transported
into the finished building and connected as “plug and play modules” so to say.
Actually, there are only two factors limiting the physical size of this type of
modules: transportation and the accessibility of the building.
The process modules are manufactured in a workshop off-site which does not
necessarily have to be located close to the final place of installation.
Manufacture of the modules in an off-site workshop is much more efficient than
manufacture on site in the process building, since the welders do not have to
struggle with other workmen like eg. bricklayers, painters and electricians in
order to obtain sufficient space to perform their work. Once the manufacture of
each module is terminated, a complete Factory Acceptance Test is carried out
ensuring that the module will be ready for test, commissioning and production
upon delivery on site.
GEA Liquid Processing, has carried out several Fast Track projects. Lately,
we have supplied the largest biotech plant in the world for production of
cultures, rennet and enzymes to the food industry as a Fast Track project. Our
customer chose the Fast Track model for execution of the project and this huge
project was carried out within 16 months, from cutting the first sod to start
up of production, implying an 8 months’ reduction of the project execution time
compared to traditional project execution.
Please watch our Christian Hansen project video to learn more about
Fast Track Project Execution:
{form}