Multi-level Storage Solution for Fastest Growing Workwear Retailer

Workwear Express, established in 1990 is a leading retailer in Personalised Workwear, Uniform & Promotional Clothing. Now, part of the Bunzl plc family the company is the fastest growing workwear retailer in Europe with a customer base of over 600,000 (Trade & Private) clients, serving businesses across one hundred different countries. From concept and production of a 20,000+ product range and offering secure, next day delivery, Workwear Express is an extremely busy company, looking to expand storage capacity and maintain product throughput.

Workwear Express has two purpose-built factories and fulfilment centres, with over three hundred dedicated colleagues all headquartered in Durham, UK.

To make full use of the cubic height in 1x fulfilment centre, Avanta UK was invited to design, supply and install a turnkey solution to increase storage of finished goods.

Using short span shelving with adjustable shelf levels, dividers and bin fronts on a two-tier fire rated mezzanine measuring 425m2 offered the client an additional circa 7500 pick locations. There were 4 different bay profiles to suit different sized packets, garments, and boxes throughout the scheme.

A storage mezzanine floor is not tied into the building and therefore is a free-standing structure. This means that the rateable value of the warehouse building has not changed. Effectively, the client has increased the square footage of a building whilst keeping business costs down.

The adjustable elements of the shelving coupled with a mezzanine structure gives Workwear Express a future proof storage solution to add locations, change layouts and re-purpose areas.as the business grows. For example, if a personalisation area is required or moving the pick and pack area upstairs then the shelving can be re-configured to suit.

The mezzanine levels can be loaded via pallet gate per level and individual product, boxes, parcels etc can travel between each mezzanine level via a bespoke spiral chute.

Part of the scheme included fifteen bespoke packing stations on the ground floor to accept items from the chute and two stations positioned on the mezzanine.

As an extra safety measure the permitter edge protection of both mezzanine floor levels had a mesh guard to arrest the fall of any small items from the floor.

Prior to the storage solution installation Avanta UK installed a full floor area type 3 epoxy resin floor coating to seal and smarten the overall appearance of the ground floor.

Workwear Express corporate brand colours feature throughout the scheme with the distinctive orange:

Handrail

Workbenches

Moulded Chute.

Practical competition in time for a traditional peak period was achieved.