The Publication For The Grocery Trade

Warehouse Systems Ltd - Bringing storage projects to life

Warehouse Systems Limited (WSL), one of the UK's largest independent storage solutions providers, took a stand at the recent Logistics Link Live! Exhibition to further enhance its leading position in the market place. With a new sales office in Towcester, Northants, the company continues to go from strength to strength in all areas of storage solutions for industry. A particularly strong growth area is the retail sector, with mezzanine floors a particular speciality. Drawing on its wealth of experience in designing and installing mezzanine floors, Warehouse Systems is able to offer value engineered designs and a proven track record of performance on site. With an ever growing list of high street names as repeat customers, Warehouse Systems can demonstrate the ability to meet time-critical site programs. This is always achieved with Health and Safety foremost in the company's mind. To this end, all its Project Managers have undergone Construction & Design Management Regulations 2007 (CDM) training, and the company has launched a rolling program to allow every Project Manager to gain NEBOSH Level 3 qualifications. Along with its many years' installation experience, WSL's commitment to training its staff to the highest standards ensures every project is delivered to the client on time and within budget. Neville Proctor is WSL's Sales Director and owner of the business. He explains: "As the adage 'time is money' is never more true than in the retail sector, our drive to deliver the project within the timescales we set is critical to our customers, and can only be achieved through detailed planning." Warehouse Systems has the ability to lead, or be a fully active member as required, of the overall project team, with numerous successfully completed projects where it has acted as principal contractor and/or planning supervisor (now CDM Coordinator). Neville Proctor continues: "Our experience and expertise offer a valuable benefit to any retail customer looking to maximize space with a minimum of disruption. All contractors used by Warehouse Systems have been previously vetted to ensure they meet our exacting standards, including the industry standard SEIRS accreditation." To illustrate how Warehouse Systems can help clients through the expansion experience, Neville outlined two projects WSL is currently managing. Recently Warehouse Systems undertook the supply and installation of a 1,100 sq m mezzanine floor at ASDA, Wembley, as part of a major reconfiguration of the store. The project is taking place without the store closing, and careful consideration has had to be given to ensuring protection of staff and customers. Warehouse Systems is working for the first time with Asda's principal contractor, Upland Construction, to ensure that all targets are met in terms of budget and timescale. All Asda's projects are monitored, measured and reviewed by independent auditors on a weekly basis. "We recorded the maximum scores in the initial four week programme," Neville Proctor reveals. "Surely no mean achievement for a new contractor." Warehouse Systems' engineers also recently designed a three tier mezzanine floor with their new mezzanine floor CAD software for The Elite Group at Leeds, one of the UK's largest 3PL garment fulfilment companies. The software system allows direct transfer from Warehouse Systems to their fabricator's production machines. This process reduces errors, increases efficiency and reduces lead times. Warehouse Systems fitted out the new warehouse, installing the three tier floor, measuring 5,000 sq m per floor, and the shelving, garment hanging, conveyors, lighting and sprinkler systems. The floor originally measured 5,200 sq m on each of the three floors. Lead times were shortened by three weeks due to building handover delays, but the finish date had to remain the same due to client deadlines. Neville Proctor: "We managed to meet the timescale while working to these restraints, with huge support from our installation teams and great team work with Elite's operations and project managers." As a result of their undoubted success at Leeds, Warehouse Systems then undertook a further project with Elite at another warehouse in Bradford. This involved the construction of two single tier mezzanine floors totalling 4,930 sq m, fitted with garment hanging and shelving. Warehouse Systems installed and/or refurbished the lighting, floors, offices, welfare facilities and sprinkler systems. Pressure from Elite's clients meant that all WSL's work for the company was phased within a timescale that constantly changed. Completed areas were released to Elite, while construction work continued in others. Work commenced on 25th September 2006 and continued until May this year. When this project was completed, Elite purchased another warehouse in Bradford and called WSL in again. The brief was much the same as before - to build a two tier 8,000 sq m mezzanine floor, with lighting, sprinkler and shelving systems. WSL will also be undertaking office and welfare refurbishment for this location. Neville Proctor concludes: "Elite's ability to respond to their client's needs, at the speed that it does, has allowed it to win substantial business from major blue chip retailers. We hope that we have played our part in helping Elite grow its customer base. "What all of this means for our customers is that they can rely on Warehouse Systems to understand and design cost effective systems to meet client needs; work to agreed costs; work unsupervised; work safely; meet tight timescales; communicate at all levels; and offer both pro active and reactive service levels, with a highly flexible attitude to "off spec" requirements." Warehouse Systems Ltd Tel: 0113 387 4140 www.warehouse-systems.co.uk