SME Spotlight - CJR Midlands

At CJR Midlands (CJR), we’re passionate about building strong relationships with other organisations, and one of our closest collaborations is with Faithful+Gould with whom we’ve worked for 14 years, the last three of which on the AMS&DS framework.

This partnership has given us the opportunity to expand our professional relationships with local authorities and with other key organisations within our field of expertise as well as expand our collaborative working.

CJR is now well positioned to demonstrate to our existing and future customer base the huge benefit that the SCAPE frameworks provide, namely a clear, uncompromised pathway to procure and develop a wide range of professional services delivery.

As a company that specialises in the surveying and design of building services projects, our wealth of experience and ability in providing practical and effective solutions to our clients has always served us well. We also offer robust and transparent professional support, from project feasibility to the end delivery, which can include the management of client training and soft landing processes. By working so closely with Faithful+Gould and being part of such a comprehensive framework, we’re able to show our expertise and experience to a wider client base.

Our clients can benefit from the smooth procurement journey across the entire life-cycle of the built environment, which allows us to deliver demonstrable outcomes on every project, as well as expanding upon the products and services we offer. Some of the projects we work on involve engaging and networking with larger providers. Such projects work seamlessly with the flexibility and support that SCAPE Procure provides.

We have a number of projects that have been successfully completed where CJR and Faithful+Gould supported the client in delivering not only the identified scope of work, but huge design development too, meeting with the entire client team’s aspirations. A particular project where this extended collaborative working has been evidenced is the remodelling and refurbishment of Attenborough House in Leicester, which is now fully occupied by Leicester City Council and is publicly identified as Leicester City Hall.

Working on AMS&DS projects provides a successful platform which allows us to structure and expand our overall capabilities and professional services. We now have access to projects and clients that would have previously been out of our reach due to their sheer size and magnitude.

Being part of the SCAPE framework helps in other ways too. We have the opportunity to broaden our own knowledge and develop that further when we employ, mentor and train new apprentices. In 2015, CJR was successful in acquiring government support funding through Nottingham Transportation Engineering Centre (NTEC) to form and establish apprenticeship training schemes and further development of university graduates through to a higher qualification.

At CJR, we are very proud of their achievements. In most cases, our trainees have achieved a higher than expected qualification, and continue to develop their skills working on SCAPE projects.

This has clearly benefited the professional standing of our organisation and we are now working closer with other SCAPE supply chain partners including architectural, structural engineers and cost managers. This collaborative working has added security, stability and confidence to all who work and assist in developing CJR Midlands Ltd. Going forward, we are confident that our continued commitment to personal training and development will be of benefit to the professional building services sector and, of course, CJR in particular.

The whole SCAPE experience also helps to position us as a strong SME, providing multiple professional services to high profile clients, i.e. EDF (Fleet Critical), EON UK, Scottish Water, London Borough Councils and National Grid. Our positioning within the AMS&DS delivery model has strengthened our intercompany communication skills. The framework focuses heavily on the procedures and processes which include robust financial controls, ensuring that payments for our professional services are structured and paid on time.

We’re extremely proud of our association with Faithful+Gould and look forward to many more prosperous years of collaboration together in alliance with the SCAPE framework.