My business: Graham Melroy T12 Consultancy

Tell us about a day in the life of T12?

Days in T12 are rarely the same, which is part of the appeal and renews my motivation daily. Some days, business needs dictate a specific focus on marketing and business development areas, involving meetings and discussions with many new strategic partners. Other times, the focus is more internal, looking at the organisation, strategy and key objectives for the business. And this is all before we even get down to the day job of managing engineering design and delivery for our clients.   

What does T12 do?

T12 is an engineering consultancy, but we believe we offer more than that. Our clients recognise the value of bolt-on engineering. What does that mean? Our clients typically want to grow their engineering capability, bring in external expertise and technical support, or use us as a strategic engineering partner to support their business in tenders and projects. T12 provides a tailored bolt-on engineering service to support their business objectives.

How has T12 handled the COVID-19 situation, and what have been the complications?

The crisis on a day-to-day level has had little effect on T12 as a business. We have always supported remote working and the systems and practices that go along with that. Regular communication, strong collaborative relationships, and tools such as video conferences will always remain at the core of our operating model and beliefs.

From an outward-looking perspective, there has been no face-to-face networking, no conferences, no industry meetups. On a more strategic level, COVID-19 put the brakes on the economy in general. It made many companies cancel spending and push projects to the right, meaning new opportunities were at a premium during the past year.

However, with all the challenges, there were also opportunities. At T12, we took the time to build a sustainable plan for the anticipated recovery, which we are pleased to say is beginning to yield results.

How have you been able to maintain good mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic?

Maintaining good mental health can vary from person to person. For me, it’s doing simple things such as taking time out for yourself and your family, which can be challenging when working from home. I try to do the simple things and keep to a routine. I make sure I go out for a decent walk every day and a good long walk at least once a week, even with our great British weather.

With your commitment to remote working, does that mean there are no plans to open an office? Is this a business strategy or a response to COVID-19?

No, we don’t plan on opening a physical office. Remote working has been central to the T12 business from the outset. We saw its inherent value in attracting and maintaining talent, reducing overhead costs, and supporting and overseeing local markets within the UK in a more effective manner.   

What does the future hold for T12?

I believe our strategic planning has been very effective, and I am confident our continued focus and vigour will stand us in good stead as we look to deliver value to our clients and grow towards the end of the year and into 2022. At T12, our focus is on sustainable growth, and we like to build lasting relationships with our clients; this can take time and, in some cases, feels slow; however, this detailed work in the early days does pay off iin the long run.

What opportunities do you see at present in energy transition sectors and new technologies?

The energy sector is a fantastic place to be right now. There is just so much going on, lots of new technologies to explore, and so many exciting and innovative technologies emerging and becoming established – with even more on the horizon. At present, the energy industry is driven by traditional energies such as nuclear and gas, with coal all but scrubbed from the energy mix during the past 10 years or so. It’s clear that when huge industrial transitions like this occur, engineering is at the forefront. T12 is already supporting waste-to-energy, as well as supporting new technology introduction in oil and gas.