Marr Contracting (Marr) is a third-generation, family-owned craneage business. The company is recognised as a world leader in the design and delivery of heavy-lift tower cranes and complex cranage services.
The combination of innovative crane technology and a fresh, determined approach is helping Marr become a global business. Today, Marr's cranes are at work on some of the UK's biggest and most challenging infrastructure projects. These include the High Speed Two (HS2) Old Oak Common train station in London.
'The Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement has made it much easier for us to do business in the UK,' says Simon Marr, Managing Director, Marr. 'We have introduced a different approach to cranage into the UK. This is helping to reduce complexity and de-risk construction.'
World-leading engineering design
According to Marr, his business is a talented team of problem-solvers that love cranes and the challenge of working on complex, large-scale projects. That passion has led to world-leading innovations such as the M2480D Heavy Lift Luffing (HLL) crane. This is the world's highest capacity tower crane.
The M2480D's unique design allows for extremely heavy loads - up to 330 tons - in congested spaces. But technology is just one part of Marr's approach. Marr says his company is encouraging the global construction industry to think differently about how large-scale projects can be built.
'The question we always ask our clients is "how do you want to build your project?",' he says. 'Then we work collaboratively with the client to find ways to reduce complexity, execute fewer lifts and increase productivity. This is what makes us unique.'
Opportunities in the UK
When Marr looked overseas for fresh growth, one market stood out.
'The UK market is really exciting for us,' he says. 'It's a lot bigger than Australia but has a similar business culture and similar laws. Contracting works in the same way in the UK and our construction methods are much the same.
'But the UK is also a kind of crystal ball, particularly in terms of energy transition projects. Net zero is really happening in the UK. There is a lot of investment in clean energy generation, carbon capture and storage projects.
'We anticipate that what we see in the UK will eventually come to other countries including Australia.'
Marr's M2480Ds working on the Lostock Sustainable Energy Plant. Image courtesy of Lostock Sustainable Energy Plant.
Big impact on major projects
Marr's expansion into the UK has taken hold relatively quickly. In 2018, the company had just one full-time employee in the country. Now the company has 30 employees permanently based in the UK. Fifteen are site-based.
'Our first contract was with Balfour Beatty working on the Hinkley Point C Tunnelling and Marine Project in 2019,' says Marr. 'Construction is inherently conservative, and we have new ways of working so it took time to get going in the UK. But perseverance has paid off.'
The game-changer for Marr is lifting capacity. Its fleet combines the heavy lifting capability of mobile and crawler cranes with the high performance of tower cranes. Its cranes can lift loads that are 10 to 20 times heavier than the loads that traditional tower cranes can lift.
'Our message is that we can reduce risk, simplify lifting, and make construction sites more efficient and productive,' says Marr. 'We've established a reputation in the UK now. When it comes to new business, clients are starting to call us.'
A-UK FTA puts Marr on equal footing
Marr credits the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with making it easier to do business in the UK. He says the benefits flow in both directions.
'The FTA allows us to compete on an equal footing with UK companies,' he says. 'For example, we can now bid on UK government procurement contracts as if we were a UK company.'
Marr says it is also easier to move employees between Australia and the UK.
'Right now, we have Australians working in the UK who transfer new skills and approaches to UK construction. That benefits the UK. But we also have Brits in Australia bringing their expertise back to our operations in Australia.
'This knowledge-sharing and skills transfer is going on across all levels of our business.'
How Austrade helped
Austrade has given Marr on-the-ground assistance in multiple countries since 2019. These include Turkey, where Marr gained an early contract to work on construction of the giant 1915 Çanakkale Bridge.
'Austrade has been great,' says Marr. 'They listen to us, open doors for us, and get us in front of clients and suppliers. Austrade also helps us create networks overseas and this opens up new opportunities.'
Support has extended beyond Austrade. The Australian Deputy High Commissioner and other senior representatives from the Australian High Commission in the UK have visited Marr construction sites, including what will eventually be the UK's largest railway station, HS2 Old Oak Common. Marr says official visits have boosted his company's reputation in the UK.
Future expansion
The UK provides great prospects thanks to a pipeline of major projects, according to Brian Hyland, Senior Business Development Manager (UK & Ireland), Austrade.
'The recently released UK Govt 10 year Infrastructure strategy means opportunities for companies like Marr Contracting continue to grow,' he says. 'The strategy envisages infrastructure investment worth £540 billion (A$1.1 trillion) across 750 programs in the newly revamped NISTA Pipeline.
'Marr should be an inspiration to ambitious Australian companies involved in infrastructure and the energy transition.'
