As Link 51 celebrates its 60th birthday this year, the UK’s largest manufacturer and supplier of steel shelving, pallet racking and lockers goes from strength to strength.
Competitive, consistently on top of its game and fiercely customer focused, the company approaches the future with justifiable optimism. And, as it has had its feet firmly on the floor for the past sixty years, one can safely assume that it knows a thing or two about its industry!
With a keen focus on the retail sector, Link 51 applies its expertise across a variety of markets. From manufacturing and distribution to museums and healthcare, Link 51 storage solutions successfully support businesses right across the UK and – through its international distributor network – across the world.
For retailers looking to create the ideal storage environment, fully optimise available space and increase business efficiencies all tailored to future-proof the investment, it is difficult to see how Link 51’s consultative approach based on an initial free audit, followed by highly effective project management and unrivalled attention to detail can be equalled.
The company’s installations have covered grocery and the non-food supply chain, including distribution centres, fashion outlets, department stores and wholesalers. And by its acquired understanding of customers needs, Link 51 design bespoke systems to make the very best use of the available storage capacity, encourage best practice and improve operator efficiency.
Their solutions embrace the very best of UK manufacturing and include a wide range of products for the retail market including: static and mobile shelving, two-tier shelving and mezzanine floor structures – the perfect solution to increase valuable floor space without having move premises.
The Trafford Park retail centre in Manchester is recognised as one of the major locations of its type in the UK and includes one of the largest Selfridges premises in Europe – a store which benefits from extensive use of Link 51’s retail storage systems. Using a mix of 50 mobile bays and over a linear mile of static shelving, the company was able to create versatility to hold a diverse range of products – from children’s toys to clothing and extremely delicate items such as glassware.
Similarly, rapid through-flow of products and an ability to accommodate variations in both fashion and seasonality are at the heart of successful clothes retailing on ‘The High Street’. For fashion retailer, New Look, this has meant working closely with Link 51 to help ensure its stockroom garment storage and handling equipment is specified accordingly – meeting their needs both now and in the future.
To fulfill New Look’s criteria for high capacity storage and high garment turnaround, whilst maximising the available floor area at both New Look’s Manchester and Belfast stores, Link 51 designed and installed their versatile Stockrax garment hanging system.
Consisting of a series of uprights spaced at 1.5m and linked by single or double hanging rails, the system assembles without nut and bolt fixings, is height adjustable and is available in a range of colours to match location needs. The installations fully met New Look’s business objectives and a wider use at a national level is anticipated.
From the outset customers benefit from Link’s detailed in-depth planning prior to an installation. The aim is to provide a cost effective service from start to finish and to reduce overheads where possible, through increases in productivity. It may be regarded as a slightly ‘old fashioned’ approach, which involves some basic principles such as the provision of fully-managed solutions, taking the lead throughout installation processes, guiding clients through initial briefings, checking design proposals, and meeting manufacturing schedules. But it all adds up to completing the installation on time and the making of a successful handover.
Customers should, quite rightly, expect assurances from their storage suppliers and have confidence that the system put in place will do the job and meet their requirements. They should also be satisfied that appropriate emphasis has been placed on the safe design, installation and technical performance of all of the supply company’s storage products. To this end, Link 51 was one of the founder member companies of the Storage Equipment Manufacturer’s Association (SEMA), the national trade association for the storage equipment industry in the UK.
Link 51 conforms to SEMA’s industry standard codes of practice which cover aspects of design, installation and health and safety practice relating to the supply of shelving, racking and other storage equipment.
It also recommends that the installation of shelving, racking and storage equipment is only undertaken by experienced and trained personnel and preferably by installers who are SEIRS (Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme) registered. SEIRS is a qualification for individual installers who themselves undergo industry-specific training in best practice, legislation and safe working practice.
As a UK manufacturer and supplier, Link 51 firmly believes that it is well placed to maintain its market dominance within the shelving, racking and storage industry and will continue to provide innovative solutions to an ever growing customer base for many more years to come.
Link 51
TEL: 0800 169 5151
EMAIL: ENQUIRIES@LINK51.CO.UK
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