A supply chain established in 2021 to encourage collaborative working throughout the built environment, is starting to gain traction in the Tees Valley, supporting the delivery of  £12m of projects.

Rob Lynas, managing director of Lynas Engineers and founder of Preferred Partners, says it plays a vital role in supporting SMEs to access higher value projects because it is enabling smaller companies to engage with organisations much larger than their own over tendering for projects together.

As a multi-disciplinary supply chain, Preferred Partners can now claim 45 companies as members, many of which come from the local area including Esh Construction, and MGL Group, while others are national firms with North East offices.

Rob said: “This summer and last, Preferred Partners hosted a networking event, Constructing Links, in partnership with our sales and marketing partner, Just Williams. It was a sell-out success and dozens of businesses from across the region came together to discuss and challenge embedded and often outdated practices.

“The event facilitated a great deal of knowledge transfer into the network along with information about forthcoming tenders and opportunities through our key speakers and panellists. We have received tremendous feedback since the event. Delegates left feeling that everyone in the room was ‘on the same page’.

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“The team we have built at Lynas Engineers is deeply embedded in a collaborative way of thinking and working, which is delivering some great results for us. In fact, collaboration forms the cornerstone of our ambitions for the future, and we hope it will be responsible for shaping a new way of working across all sectors.”

His own business has grown since moving to Cargo Fleet Offices in Middlesbrough a year ago, with a client base which includes several local authorities and regional companies such as Sembcorp, Mandale Developments, and Seymour Civil Engineering.

The firm specialises in civil and structural engineering design and project management with a particular emphasis on infrastructure and drainage. Recent project wins for Lynas Engineers include an appointment to provide design capability to ESH Construction in the delivery of a large active travel scheme in Rotherham and also the delivery of a 2km link road for Middlesbrough Council where they will provide design, supervision and project management.

Rob added: “At a time when skill shortages continue to hamper the construction sector, we are continuing to invest in apprentices and graduates. Giving young people the chance of an apprenticeship is a vital part of the solution to ensure the construction industry has a strong future.

“Over the last three years, we have experienced 45% growth including the appointment of six new members of staff, four of which are apprentices, and we have supported the delivery of over £35m of projects. In the years ahead we are looking to diversify into renewables and the retail sector and with our existing formula for success, I am confident about the future.”