SUEZ site-seeing | Weekly round up

Over the past few weeks, our new External Affairs Director, Dr Adam Read has been busy touring the country and getting to know what goes on backstage at SUEZ, today he reflects on the facilities he has seen so far. Following his visits, Adam put together a series of short blogs giving you a flavour of what goes on at each of the visited sites.

So having spent much of last week out on site what have I learnt?

Well, first and foremost I am now up to speed on some of our larger contracts. I have visited some of our newer sites, and talked with many of our teams at the coal face about what is happening on the ground. But more importantly, I have started to understand the SUEZ personality and DNA that runs through our teams, sites and services.

At each site I was put through a detailed but painless induction before being allowed anywhere near the building, equipment or materials. I was given an introduction to the site, the history, the contract and the issues before taking a closer look at how things worked, and I was suitably impressed by the insights and appreciation available at each and every site.

But most impressive of all was the obvious attention to detail, the bottom-up solutions, the level of cleanliness and the levels of engagement shown by all the staff from warehouse workers and maintenance teams, to plant operators and contract managers.

I now feel not only informed and aware of the issues, but I feel part of a business that is all about the people.

Reflecting on Charlton Lane and Severnside energy-recovery-centre the operational staff were recruited 12 months before the plant was opened so that the teams could become familiar with the sites, learn their roles and the roles of those around them, and to build them into effective teams. They took part in the snagging process, visited other sites to see how they work and what is expected of them, and attended courses to help develop them and the team. Most impressive, and the results are obvious for any visitor that drops by, but also in terms of the performance that the sites deliver.

The management systems on site were consistent, detailed but not restrictive. They encourage local adaption and development with key success factors identified for each site, and for each one of the zones identified on every site, from the tipping bay to the control centre and beyond.

LEAN systems are core to this approach, driving efficiencies and ownership from all involved, and the results are clearly paying off. Quality is at the heart of the SUEZ way of working, and these sites, the staff, and the systems are a clear indicator of that quality.

I am proud to have joined the SUEZ team and look forward to the next stage of my induction as I visit other sites and teams from the energy-from-waste (EfW) plants in Suffolk and Teesside, to materials recycling and wood recovery in Lancashire, and municipal collections in London.

In the meantime I will continue to represent these teams through my lobbying, workshop attendance and working group involvement, better informed than I was before!