IKEA

Glencar’s specialist projects division continues to flourish with £12M fit out instruction from Ikea.

Biggest win to date for expanding business unit specialising in refurbishment/fit-out and ‘cut and carve’ works. Glencar, a construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, has announced the award of a £12M fit out project instruction from global ready to assemble furniture, kitchen appliances and housewares

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Top three benefits of modular builds

Whether you love or loath IKEA, there is no denying the thrill of picking out furniture and seeing it in your home on the same day. More and more house builders are now taking a leaf out of Ikea’s book with housing estates being constructed using modular build practices.  

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Starrett Looks in to Applications of Virtual Reality in Construction

Virtual Reality technology has been developed for a while now, however when people consider this technology their mind could more often go to demonstrations and simulations of space explorations and a range of other equally extraordinary, if not very useful, experiences. However, the technology is getting more diverse applications as

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Latest Issue

BDC 321 : Oct 2024

IKEA

Glencar’s specialist projects division continues to flourish with £12M fit out instruction from Ikea.

Biggest win to date for expanding business unit specialising in refurbishment/fit-out and ‘cut and carve’ works. Glencar, a construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, has announced the award of a £12M fit out project instruction from global ready to assemble furniture, kitchen appliances and housewares company Ikea. The project will see Glencar undertake extensive racking, sprinkler and office fit-out works within Ikea’s giant new 450,000 sq ft distribution centre recently completed located at the former Littlebrook Power Station site on the south bank of the River Thames in London. The works will also include the construction of a new additional storage unit in the service yard together with the installation of a security gatehouse, vehicle ramps and fencing adaptions. Talking about the contract award and rapid expansion of this specialist division, Neil Johnstone Commercial Manager Glencar Special Projects Division said: “The new ‘Special Projects’ division was established to service the fit-out and refurbishment needs of Glencar’s existing industrial client base as well as offering the same high level of service to other market sectors.  This approach has proven successful to date, having secured a number of projects in other market sectors and establishing relationships with new clients who have not worked with Glencar previously. The award of this significant contract from Ikea on their recently completed massive new 450,000 sq ft Dartford regional distribution centre is a significant testament to that as we continue to offer our customers an end-to-end service offering. We are delighted to be working with Ikea for the first time and supporting the growth of their business across London and the South East”

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IKEA move to Kent as deal signed for former Littlebrook Power Station in Dartford thepowerhouse next to Amazon…

IKEA is officially moving to Dartford after it was revealed they are behind a deal to secure a 450,000 sq ft ‘powerhouse’, but the unit will sadly not be a customer-facing store. The Swedish giants have confirmed they have signed a 15-year lease with developers on a pre-let agreement for the massive warehouse, located at the former Littlebrook Power Station site on the south bank of the River Thames. They will be joining Amazon at the site after they recently moved into a 2.3 million sq ft ‘Mega Box’ distribution centre right next door, with the entire park undergoing fierce redevelopment to become a “critical last journey location inside the M25.” However, IKEA will not be opening a new store for customers as part of the plans, instead developing a massive new distribution centre which will “meet our customers wherever and whenever they need us.” The distribution centre in Dartford is set to serve IKEA’s stores across the UK and south east – including Greenwich, Croydon and Lakeside. A spokesperson for IKEA said they were “delighted to confirm” they would be moving into a unit at The Power House project in Dartford. “This exciting investment forms part of our ongoing transformation to become even more affordable, accessible and sustainable, accelerating our omnichannel approach to meet our customers wherever and whenever they need us, irrespective of where they live or whether they visit us in-store or online.” The ‘450@thepowerhouse’ unit is currently under construction, and it is not yet know when the site will be opening or how many jobs will be created. Adjacent to the IKEA site, Amazon have just moved into their own distribution centre at the old Littlebrook power station site, a vast £200 million build on a 45-acre plot of land. The move is part of an expansion for the retail titans, with around 1,3000 new jobs created locally in a welcome boost for the area. Workers are even being offered a £1,000 starting bonus amid worker struggles. With IKEA and Amazon m the former Littlebrook power station next to the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing, The impressive unit in Dartford has been pre-let to IKEA by Bericote and Titrax Big Box who are leading the major regeneration of the area located adjacent to the QE2 Bridge and Dartford Tunnel on the south bank of the Thames. Titrax Big Box say the location will mean it’s project, a “rare asset so close to the heart of London,” will benefit from “exceptional transport connectivity via motorway, rail and water, excellent infrastructure, significant power provision and a robust labour market.” Jonathan Maher, development director at Bericote, said: “This letting underpins Bericote’s ongoing commitment to creating highly specified, modern and adaptable industrial and logistics solutions in strategic locations across the UK. “The pre-letting during construction of this speculative development underlines the strength of the market and the very attractive attributes of the site and we look forward to repeating the same success for the next phase of the development.” Charlie Withers, director of development for Tritax Management, added: “Securing a 15-year letting at thepowerhouse to another high quality occupier, further validates our strategic focus on development. “The new tenant, will join Amazon at what is becoming the preeminent logistics location in the UK’s South East.” Plans were submitted in June for the third phase of the project, and developers of the park also say they have allocated 30% of the overall Littlebrook site for permanent open space and habitat creation for wildlife. IKEA added: “As we continue to step up our sustainability commitments, guided by our established strategy to become People & Planet Positive by 2030, we were also attracted by the site’s significant biodiversity enhancement and habitat creation plans, which have informed the UK Green Building Council’s Nature Based Solutions best practice guidance for the industry.”

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Top three benefits of modular builds

Whether you love or loath IKEA, there is no denying the thrill of picking out furniture and seeing it in your home on the same day. More and more house builders are now taking a leaf out of Ikea’s book with housing estates being constructed using modular build practices.   While modular builds won’t mean new housing estates springing up in a matter of hours, it will considerably reduce the wait. However, that is just one of the benefits of a pre-fabricated approach, as Nick Cowley, managing director of uPVC windows and doors expert, Euramax, explains.   The flatpack phenomenon is still changing the way we live and work. In the last three decades, machinery and technology developments have meant that bigger, stronger and more efficient modular structures, including schools, business parks and medical facilities, are being built across the globe.   Modular buildings and homes are prefabricated away from the final building site in sections, or modules. These are then delivered to the intended site where installation occurs.   The need for speed As modular buildings are able to be constructed in highly controlled environments, it means that the build process can be completed up to 50 per cent faster than by using traditional construction methods.   This ability to be built and installed quicker, means that the return on investment (ROI) is potentially far greater than traditional building projects, as the construction phase is significantly shortened.   Show me the money The overall cost of the build can be reduced by up to 30 per cent by using modular practices. Shorter build time saves money on reduced labour costs and on-site equipment hire costs.   The overall cost of construction materials will also be reduced as it means that the pre-fabricator can buy materials required in larger quantities for multiple projects, rather than just on an ad-hoc basis. These materials will all be delivered to one location, rather than multiple construction sites, so transportation and delivery costs are lower too.   Modular construction also means that any installed elements, like windows and doors, or practical elements such as kitchens or light fixtures, can be delivered and installed all at once. Expert suppliers, like uPVC window and door manufacturer, Euramax, can deliver equipment and materials either to the pre-fabrication facility, or directly on site.   The process of constructing a modular build off site means that any errors or issues with construction can be eliminated before arriving on site. This means that staff are less likely to need to spend large amounts of time and effort fixing things once installation is complete.   Customisable options Modular builds open up huge potential in terms of design aesthetic and innovation. Traditional building designs are often restricted by the amount of space and planning regulations of how much work can be done to the local area and land. However, modular builds can be designed to a set of specifications that adapt to any restrictions that may be in place.   As each modular build is tailored to the individual users needs, the construction can be designed and made to the exact space, budget and design requirements. Modular buildings are also commonly constructed out of more durable and environmentally sustainable materials, making the properties a better investment for both the construction company and the buyer.   So, while the cheap and cheerful, cookie-cutter style furniture you buy and build from IKEA can be cost effective and an instantaneous moment of gratification, modular builds open up a much wider range of opportunity to reduce costs, speed up projects and create a unique look.

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Starrett Looks in to Applications of Virtual Reality in Construction

Virtual Reality technology has been developed for a while now, however when people consider this technology their mind could more often go to demonstrations and simulations of space explorations and a range of other equally extraordinary, if not very useful, experiences. However, the technology is getting more diverse applications as it becomes more and more accessible, making VR much more practical. Starrett, the hand tool specialist has been looking into the ways in which the construction industry can use virtual reality and what changes this could bring to the industry from contractors. The technical support team leader at Starrett, Graham Munro, has been examining this topic in more detail and feels that the technology can be used for more than just customer engagement by advertisers and online retailers. Video games were the initial and main focus of virtual reality technology, and it is a great way to get a potential customer’s attention. However the developments being made could benefit a wider array of industries. The construction industry has been evolving as technology evolves as well. No longer a blueprints and paper, process, the construction industry uses 3D CAD software as an essential part of architectural design now. Developing from this is Building Information Modelling, or BIM, that is being adopted by a number of construction firms. BIM allows both architects and industry professionals a great deal more insight, which means that they can be more effective when planning, designing and managing their buildings and infrastructure. IKEA has already launched their first high definition interactive showroom which uses virtual reality. The technology used by the Home and furniture giant offers customers the opportunity to see how their homes could look with a range of IKEA designs. Going back to the construction industry, larger construction companies are using VR technology in order to “walk” through and around their sites, transforming the more traditional job site walk. This level of immersion allows engineers and building professionals to assess the ergonomics and practicalities of their floor plans as well as notice any potential challenges ahead of the construction process.

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