The UK infrastructure sector is experiencing unprecedented levels of growth and investment, yet it faces a critical shortage of the skills needed to deliver this ambitious pipeline. Slowing productivity, an ageing workforce, and constraints within the supply chain mean that traditional delivery models are no longer sufficient. New approaches are required to ensure that major programmes can be delivered efficiently, safely, and sustainably.

Costain’s production thinking approach addresses this challenge by transforming the way infrastructure is planned, designed, and delivered. By applying manufacturing-style principles to complex construction environments, the approach combines modern methods of construction, lean processes, and digital and data-led tools. The result is more predictable, efficient, and safer delivery across major UK infrastructure projects.

In this session, James will explain what production thinking means in practice at Costain and why it has become central to the organisation’s approach to improving productivity and performance. He will describe how the methodology is embedded across multiple sectors, from early-stage design through to construction and commissioning, and how it enables better decision-making, reduces waste, and increases programme certainty.

The talk will also feature selected case studies demonstrating how production thinking has been applied on live projects. These examples will highlight the challenges encountered, the lessons learned, and the tangible benefits achieved. Attendees will gain practical insights into how these methods can be adopted and applied across the wider infrastructure sector.

This meeting will be online via Teams.

This is an open event so please do share with anyone in your network you think would be interested.

Speaker

James Neve

James is a Chief Engineer and Production Thinking Lead at Costain with over 10 years' experience in the industry. With a background in the design and delivery of large, complex UK infrastructure projects, James now heads up the implementation of Costain's production thinking approach across the group.