Central Production Kitchen – Hinkley Point C Supply Chain
EDF Energy and its partner investors have commenced construction of Hinkley Point C. As part of its procurement strategy, EDF has partnered with the Somerset Chamber of Commerce to manage the Hinkley Supply Chain Team. With 90 Tier 1 contractors each planning to deliver hundreds of million value contracts, the opportunity for local and South West suppliers is both large and complex.
Our first task was to provide consultant’s drawings and specifications to fit the needs of the project, which, due to the size of the site, had to be efficient and fit-for-purpose. The end goal was to create a commercial kitchen capable of accommodating the production of 3 meals a day for up to 8000 workers at full capacity across various restaurants based at Hinkley Point C site. As the HPC site is manned 24/7, this meant that kitchens would also need to produce meals around the clock to support and feed the workers.
The Journey & The Selection
TCI were looking to use a local contractor to fulfill this job, so Aspen Services fit the bill as we are well known in local circles for the works we have carried out; we were also conveniently located to the site, just a short trip from J23 to J24 on the M5! We had also completed previous works on the HPC site, so TCI had prior knowledge of how we operate and the kind of work we’re capable of.
The Challenges & Solving Them
This was the biggest project Aspen Services had ever worked on, and so we had to be flexible and adaptable in a fast-paced environment to suit the needs and deadlines of the project. Co-ordination of deliveries were more challenging than normal, as the dates would change to accommodate site accessibility and the schedule of other deliveries. The correct equipment had to be on site at the right time to ensure a smooth installation. All electric and water services had to be allocated to the correct position for installation to adhere to the original design specifications. We also had issue with some equipment, as some models had been discontinued during project implementation.
The Solution & The Service
A designated Project Manager and Co-Ordinator were assigned to the project, to oversee the project and supervise installation. This became beneficial to the need of delivery adaptability, as it meant short lines of contact and instantaneous communication to ensure deliveries arrived on the correct days. The efficient implementation of the required services was achieved through constant communications with other contractors and regular site visits to confirm M&E services were to standard and specification. To solve the issue of discontinued equipment models, alternative and equivalent items were sourced to replace them; this meant that the same quality of use was achieved against the original plans.
The Results & The Client
With the combined efforts of all involved, and the adaptability of logistics, we are able to complete the project on time and to budget. The facility is now capable of supplying food and meals 24/7 for the 8000 (at time of writing) workers on-site, whilst also fitting with HPC’s security and quality standards.
