How do you choose an M&E contractor for a factory project?
Choose an M&E contractor with proven experience of similar projects in live production environments, the accreditations your site requires, and the ability to deliver mechanical and electrical work as one package. Involve them at the planning stage, before the scope and programme are fixed, so risks to production are designed out rather than discovered on site.
If you run engineering or operations on a manufacturing site, you already know what good installation work looks like. The harder part of choosing a contractor is judging how well they will plan, coordinate and deliver on a site that has to keep producing.
This guide covers what the wrong choice costs, why early involvement matters, and the evidence to ask for before you appoint.
What does appointing the wrong M&E contractor cost?
Rarely just the value of the contract. On a live manufacturing site, the real cost of the wrong appointment usually shows up elsewhere:
Lost production when work overruns a shutdown window or disrupts running lines
Programme delays that push back new lines, product launches or customer commitments
Rework when mechanical, electrical and controls packages do not fit together on site
Variations and cost creep from a scope that was never properly understood
Safety incidents where production and installation work overlap
Incomplete testing, certification or drawings that leave gaps at your next audit
Your own engineers pulled away from running the site to manage the contractor
“Successful engineering projects depend as much on planning, coordination and communication as on the quality of the installation. Working within an operational manufacturing environment brings challenges that go well beyond the installation itself, and our clients need confidence that their project will be delivered safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption to production. The true value of an engineering contractor isn’t measured by price alone, but by its ability to understand the client’s requirements, anticipate the challenges and deliver right first time. That’s what our clients choose Owben for.”
— Andrew Corsar, Managing Director, Owben
Why involve your M&E contractor at the planning stage?
Because the decisions with the biggest effect on cost, programme and disruption are usually made before a contractor is appointed. Bringing your M&E contractor in early means:
Existing services are surveyed before the design is fixed, so there are fewer surprises on site
The programme is built around your shutdowns and production plan, rather than squeezed into them later
Long-lead items such as switchgear, steelwork and control panels are identified and ordered in time
Mechanical, electrical and structural work is coordinated on paper, not resolved on site
Capacity for future lines is designed in, so the site is not upgraded twice
You have a costed scope you can take to budget holders with confidence
Our work with Dalmec shows how this works in practice. Before a material handling system was installed in an operational facility, Owben and Dalmec reviewed the site together: the process requirements, layout and space constraints, existing services, redundant steelwork and clearance needs. That review produced a costed scope covering clearance, structural design drawings, load calculations, steelwork manufacture, powder coating and installation. Read about the project.
What experience should an M&E contractor be able to show?
Projects like yours, in environments like yours, with references you can call. A client list is a start, but ask for examples that match your sector, scale and site conditions. These are some of the projects Owben has delivered:
Project | Setting | What we delivered |
AESC Giga Plant | Large-scale battery manufacturing facility, multi-contractor site | M&E installation, plant integration, control panel installation and secondary steelwork, delivered directly for AESC and via Cromex supporting SES Engineering Services |
Two live food production sites | 400m compressed air and 385m stainless steel water networks, distribution boards and containment, with both sites operational throughout | |
Live factory, tight deadline | A new internal wall, removal of an old material lift and a production line extension, completed within the deadline | |
Operational facility | Site review, structural design, load calculations, steelwork fabrication and installation for a material handling system | |
Automotive plant, as subcontractor to Cromex | Design and installation of a modular Siemens-based control system, replacing forklift deliveries of fluids to the line side | |
Automotive press lines | A bespoke condition monitoring system to catch failures early, designed as a template for press lines across Nissan plants |
Since 2011, Owben has grown from a small family business into a contractor trusted by clients including Nissan, Amazon and AESC. Our directors bring over 100 years of combined experience, our permanent in-house team covers mechanical, electrical and fabrication work, an
Should mechanical and electrical work sit with one contractor?
Where you can, yes. Steelwork, pipework, containment, power and controls all have to fit around each other and around the production equipment. One contractor planning them together means clashes are resolved on the drawing, there is one programme, and one party is responsible for testing and commissioning. Owben’s mechanical and electrical teams plan and deliver as one.
“Their expertise in both electrical and mechanical installations is second to none. Every project they’ve completed for us has been done to the highest standards, with flawless execution and attention to detail.”
— Facilities Engineer, NMUK (Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK)
Which accreditations matter?
As a baseline, look for an SSIP-recognised health and safety accreditation such as CHAS, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, EN 1090 certification for any structural steelwork, and electrical work tested and certified to BS 7671. Owben holds CHAS Elite, SSIP, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, EN 1090-1 Execution Class 2 and an EcoVadis Silver rating.
What should a tender response include?
Use this checklist when comparing tenders, or share it with procurement:
A clear scope of works, with exclusions stated
A programme showing phases, shutdown dependencies and lead times
How live services will be isolated, protected and reinstated
Risk assessments and method statements (RAMS) for the main activities
A named project lead and on-site supervision
Handover documents: test certificates, as-built drawings and operation and maintenance information
Comparable projects, with references you can call
Remember your own duties as the client too. Most factory projects fall under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM). If more than one contractor will work on the project, the client must appoint a principal designer and a principal contractor.
Frequently asked questions
When should you involve an M&E contractor in a factory project?
As early as possible, ideally while the layout, scope and programme are still being developed. Early involvement lets the contractor survey existing services, plan around shutdowns and flag long-lead items before they affect the programme.
What is the difference between building-services M&E and industrial M&E?
Building-services M&E covers heating, ventilation, plumbing, lighting and fire systems in buildings such as offices and hospitals. Industrial M&E covers the systems production depends on: power to plant, control panels, process pipework, compressed air, structural steelwork and equipment installation.
Can an M&E contractor work under a principal contractor?
Yes. On large builds, M&E packages are often delivered within a multi-contractor team. Owben has delivered packages both directly for clients and within principal contractor teams, including on the AESC Giga Plant.
Can works be phased around shifts and shutdowns?
Yes, and on a live site they usually should be. Most of the work can be prepared in advance, with tie-ins and switchovers saved for planned downtime.
Does Owben work outside the North East?
Yes. Owben is based in Sunderland and delivers projects across the UK.
Have a project at the planning stage?
If you have a fit-out, upgrade or relocation in the pipeline, speak to Owben while the scope and programme are still being shaped, so it can be planned around production from the start.
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