Merx Construction Management demonstrates an ethos of complete passion in every corner of its work, delivering on great projects in a truly independent way.
MAKING IT HAPPEN
In 2001, Merx Construction Management was built upon a focus of providing client-representative consulting services, working within the building, construction and fit-out sectors. With its headquarters perfectly placed in the heart of Southeast Asia, the Company’s service remit covers Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia; while also operating wholly-owned offices in both Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Over the years Merx has specialised in independent consultancy services, including project management, construction management, cost management and client representation. The Company has continued to develop and hone its service offering to clients, working from its offices located in Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Myanmar and delivering on projects across the construction, real estate and hospitality sectors.
Providing clients with complete management of their construction projects has bestowed Merx with vast and in-depth knowledge when it comes to the industry, as well as an ability to play a lead management role on all aspects of an asset’s lifecycle.
TRULY REGIONAL BUSINESS
It has proven vitally important for companies such as Merx to secure repeat business and management of regional accounts, corporate accounts and large-scale projects across Asia. The Company has continued to maximise its relationships with each client and pass on benefits to each client.
“We are currently working on projects for clients in eight capital cities within Asia, meaning we are proudly a truly regional Asian business,” explains William Forwood, Managing Director and Founder of Merx. “This achievement has been reached by entering into new markets in a tactical manner, enacting the proper research and assessment of economic demand and real estate opportunities.”
The Company carefully handpicks experienced professionals with qualifications in the relevant fields of project management, construction management and cost management to drive on Merx and its ambitions.
“As an SME, we attract and retain staff that feel particularly comfortable working in a predominantly non-corporate culture, with a non-hierarchical management structure,” affirms Forwood. “We have found that this structure emboldens and empowers staff and we provide continuous training to support this; a mixture of pure on-the-job training with external sources and live training for new systems and processes.”
The Company manages the delivery of top-class projects for clients, working across four key sectors; namely corporate office interiors, hospitality and leisure, retail, and industrial new builds.
Forwood continues: “During our 15 years in the business, we have successfully delivered hundreds of projects, all of which are individually very special.
“There are a few that do stand out as particularly iconic, and some that come to mind are the Light and Water Show for Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, the Luge expansion project on Sentosa, the Porsche Design retail store in Shanghai, and the new aircraft hangar for Jet Aviation at Seletar Airbase in Singapore. Along with this are the many corporate office projects we have done for companies like Trafigura, Macquarie Bank, AXA and Bloomberg throughout Asia.”
SPECIALIST PROJECT MANAGEMENT
It is important to remember that Merx is an independent company, owned by its key management staff working within the firm.
“Currently we are researching the latest design and virtual reality equipment that is entering the industry in both Hong Kong and Singapore,” adds Forwood. “We have also been working with an Australian client on the complete pre-fabrication of hotel rooms made in China being shipped to sites in Western Australia which we see as an exciting prospect for the future.”
As a consultant service provider, Merx is engaged by its clients on a fee basis in order to manage all aspects of a project’s successful delivery.
“Our projects are carried out stringently alongside the Merx values of agility, collaboration and passion, which has helped to shape the way we work and continues to improve our business operations,” describes Forwood. “The overriding philosophy at Merx is to create best value for our clients and deliver great projects, and these strategies have enabled us to continue to improve our services as well as expanding.
“Our services have developed over the years through internal engagement and workshop sessions along with continuous feedback, while ensuring we always listen to our clients.”
Another philosophy of the Company is to always remember that it is in the business for the long-haul – as it enters its 16th year in the business – serving as a great comfort to clients looking for equally long-term, committed relationships in the sector.
MERX HOSPITALITY
Merx has taken its extensive experience and combined its best-in-class skill when it comes to project planning, cost management, feasibility analysis, programing, design management, procurement, supply chain, knowledge and quality control to achieve global success in hospitality construction.
“Excitingly we are working on some great projects for many inspiring clients across the region,” explains Forwood. “A few that come to mind include a new IHG Holiday Inn hotel in Penang, a new Mecure hotel in Yangon, a large campus hub for the WPP advertising group in Kuala Lumpur and a private members club in a heritage listed building in Singapore.”
Merx Hospitality is a particularly exciting enterprise for the Company and it has been responsible for the planning, design, procurement and construction of numerous facilities throughout Southeast Asia. The combination of Merx’s industry experience and its ability to offer clients innovative, cost-effective and reliable project management solutions enables it to perfectly tailor for the individual business needs of each company.
Merx Hospitality is widely recognised for its ability to provide a holistic approach, alongside meeting the challenging projects scheduled by clients and working with clients, consultants and developers to provide a successful outcome.
“Looking forward we hope that by 2021 when we celebrate our Company’s 20th anniversary, we will still be running brilliant projects for great clients and ‘making it happen’,” concludes Forwood. “Merx will be running larger scale projects across more cities in Asia and may have even created a larger footprint by then. Technology and disruption will have kicked-in fully and the new systems and ways of working will be all around us.”
