For Bridgwater-based MMES the path to success at HPC hasn’t always been plain sailing, and is an important lesson in persevering to achieve your goals.
MMES, or Mike Morgan Electrical Services, has served Somerset and South West customers since 1989, delivering high quality electrical, plumbing, gas heating and renewables services.
When construction started at HPC, MMES picked up some work on the associated developments surrounding the main site, including the traffic control system around Bridgwater, installing power supplies as well as doing inspections and testing on new roadside cameras.
However, MMES’s first attempt to win major contracts at HPC, focusing on the FM (facilities management) opportunities on site, was unsuccessful. Despite valiantly attempting a successful regional collaborative solution to source the demands of the contract, EDF Energy had no option but to select a national provider for this contract.
Although initially a blow for the company, their interest had nevertheless put them on the radar of other organisations and businesses linked to HPC.
Managing Director Mike Morgan said: “We’d put in a lot of groundwork to make ourselves ‘HPC ready’, investing time and money to project a positive image in order to showcase our capabilities.
“Unfortunately it became apparent that the FM opportunities we’d been so keen to pursue weren’t going to go to a local lead, so in many ways it was back to the drawing board.”
Throughout MMES’s interest in HPC the company had been working closely with the Somerset Chamber of Commerce and Hinkley Supply Chain Team, attending the various networking opportunities and training events, such as the “Raise Your Game” workshops.
“It was the Chamber that suggested we go in for the construction and utilities contracts,” said Mike.
Led by Tier 1 contractor Wessex Water MMES and other local businesses formed the Construction Operations Management Alliance – or COMA for short – in order to present a united group capable of managing HPC’s many utility requirements within its construction operations.
COMA was successful in winning the construction utilities contracts, and to date MMES has, in partnership with the rest of the group, completed several large electrical projects with many more in the pipeline.
For instance, MMES is responsible for electrical works on 400v, 230v and 110v power distributed systems and associated equipment.
“We’ve worked so hard as a company,” continued Mike, “there have been disappointments along the way but it’s all paying dividends now as we grow and start to win more and more contracts outside of COMA and HPC.”
MMES’s workforce has almost doubled in the last two years, with around 60 employees out of a total headcount of about 80 now working full time at HPC.
Mike said: “Our contract with HPC has brought in almost £2m in revenue, which is a huge boost to a relatively small business like us.
“However the bigger picture is that we have gone from a company that, just a few years ago, would have struggled to bid for contracts of £300-400k, to one that can now confidently look for projects that are worth millions as we have the experience, track record and man-power to deliver,” he added.
For other Somerset and South West businesses keen to win work at HPC, Mike’s message is simple.
“Persevere and be resilient,” he said. “Also make sure you get to know the Hinkley Supply Chain Team because they worked hard and diligently to help us win work at HPC and they will do all they can to help you too.”
