Collinson Grant

Balfour Beatty

Balfour Beatty is a big business. Its turnover in 2005 was £4.9 billion and it employs 27,000 people throughout the world. The company serves international markets, specialising in construction, civil engineering and infrastructure, and transport and power systems. It manages complex projects that demand advanced technical skills and the highest standards of service and reliability.

Collinson Grant has been working regularly with Balfour Beatty since 1996. The company’s organisational structure depends on delegating authority to local managers for achieving agreed targets. In our work in the various operating companies, and at a corporate level, we have been careful to reinforce this culture, while investigating the possibilities for exploiting synergies and sharing resources.

A number of consultants have worked on assignments in Europe and the United States largely devoted to examining overheads and the options for reducing costs. This prolonged campaign has helped to strengthen the understanding and control of costs throughout the business, balancing the devolved culture with common understanding of best practice. We have also supported the reorganisation of the USA regional centre, helped to integrate two American acquisitions, and improved managerial controls, information systems and processes in other operating companies.

Balfour Beatty has achieved strong performance in the last five years by promulgating core managerial values while empowering its employees to respond quickly to customers’ changing needs. Its particular success derives from the way it has been able to do this throughout its worldwide operations.