Background
- Service: Site management
- Project: Reducing scope creep and costs on edible oil refinary
- Country: Germany
A market leader in the production of edible oils, initiated construction of a new oil refinery. However, circumstances beyond their control risked costly delays, various bottlenecks across departments, excess personnel on site, and widespread scope creep—putting both schedule and budget at risk.
To assist with the completion of the refinary, the client turned to Plant Supervision for experienced site management support.
Challenge
After several phases with delays, the site had become more difficult to manage, with the number of subcontractors growing and increasing costs. Our client identified the need for clear oversight to enforce contractual obligations and prevent further scope creep.
The client initially requested one senior site manager who could act as a neutral, external party, with the authority to make tough decisions, enforce compliance with contractual requirements, and eliminate unnecessary activities.
However, due to the size and complexity of the site, hosting more than 200 personnel, Plant Supervision proposed a two-man solution to ensure both strategic oversight and technical control.
Our solution
Within one week after our clients request, Plant Supervision identified and presented the two-person team:
Senior site/project manager
Tasked with improving cost control and overseeing compliance with contractual obligations across all subcontractors
Mechanical supervisor
Acting as the project manager’s “eyes and ears” on site, responsible for evaluating technical work and reporting on actual progress and resource use.
Shortly after deployment, our team began optimizing workflows, identifying scope creep, and reducing redundant labor.
One clear example: cable installation had significantly exceeded the actual project needs, creating unnecessary labor and material costs. This was corrected through tighter oversight and revised planning.
To further support project control, a dedicated planner was added to the team two months later to focus on scheduling, progress tracking, and ensuring alignment between contractors.
Our team remained on site for 10-months until project completion.
Learn more about our interim site management
Results
With Plant Supervision’s expert team in place, our client re-gained control over project progress, budget discipline, and contractor coordination.
The introduction of an external, neutral site management team reduced inefficiencies and restored confidence in the project’s successful completion.
The case highlights the benefits of external site management and what a fresh and unbiased perspective can do to control complex project environments.
