K2CM successfully managed the fast-track delivery of Europe’s largest Mercedes-Benz dealership. Located in Stockport, UK, the £75m development spans 350,000 ft² over three storeys, showcasing more than 150 vehicles indoors and an additional 300 outdoors. The facility includes a 32-bay service centre, body and paint repair facility, café, canteen, office space, extensive parking, landscaped grounds, and a new road junction.
Developed for Hong Kong-based Lei Shing Hong Properties, the project demanded a rapid delivery timeline and a highly adaptive approach to meet the critical registration plate changeover in September. K2CM’s Construction Management (CM) philosophy proved instrumental in meeting these challenges. Acting as the client’s extended team, we implemented a “Project Management Plus” model, strategically packaging specialist trade contracts to enable concurrent design and build. This agile methodology allowed seamless integration of requirements from teams across the UK, Far East, and Australia, ensuring a globally consistent delivery for this important international client.
The key challenge was to deliver a complex, high-profile project at speed, all while the design continued to evolve. K2CM’s approach wasn’t just necessary, it was likely the only way to achieve this.
How K2CM delivered for Mercedes Benz:
Our philosophy was crucial for the project’s success.?It allowed for design flexibility, such as initiating groundworks before full planning consent was obtained and starting steel frame construction before the final design was complete. K2CM enabled the procurement and construction of individual packages, like the steel frame, facilitating a faster start. CM also allowed for adjustments and modifications as the design evolved, without halting construction progress.
The September registration plate deadline for the automotive business is a crucial target. K2CM’s flexible approach was essential in achieving this accelerated timeline, enabling concurrent work and efficient package management, ensuring the project met this key registration date and financial deadline. A more traditional process would have taken more than 24 months – K2CM delivered the project in 18.
K2CM created a collaborative team environment. We prevented adversarial situations common in fixed-price contracts, where disputes over changes are frequent. The client retained full control and flexibility, avoiding conflicts as the designs evolved. This led to strong client-supply chain relationships and a positive team dynamic, with some relationships enduring beyond the project’s completion.
Value of K2CM to the Project:
-> Facilitated calculated risk-taking, such as starting groundworks and steel frame construction early.
-> Enabled accelerated timelines by allowing concurrent work streams and individual package procurement.
-> Maintained positive relationships between the client and supply chain by avoiding contract conflicts.
-> Successfully met the September vehicle registration date.
-> Allowed for flexibility in design and modifications throughout the construction process.
-> Created a collaborative and cohesive team environment, leading to better communication and problem-solving.
Why the client chose K2CM:
-> Flexibility required: The project’s evolving customer experience design would have clashed with the rigid nature of traditional contracts where adapting to changes can be difficult and costly.
-> Sequential vs. Concurrent work: Traditional methods typically follow a linear design-procurement-construction sequence. This project required overlapping phases to meet the tight 18-month deadline such as starting groundwork before full approvals and beginning the steel frame before design completion.
-> Potential conflicts: Fixed-price contracts can strain client-contractor relationships when design changes are needed, leading to cost and delay disputes. Our collaborative approach fostered positive relationships.
-> Deadline challenges: The September vehicle registration date and financial deadlines were critical. Our accelerated approach made these deadlines possible. Traditional methods, with their rigid processes, would have made these targets difficult, if not impossible, to hit.