Phase 2 turnkey warehouse storage equipment project for a global retailer of fashion, apparel and homewares

Overview

Following the successful completion of the original 2023 pallet racking project, Avanta UK was invited to tender for the second phase of works at the client's distribution facility.

For this latest phase, Avanta was appointed to design, supply and install a further turnkey storage equipment scheme, centred around a circa 16,000 pallet location Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) racking installation. Combined with the original 40,000 pallet locations delivered during the 2023 project, the two phases have now created approximately 56,000 pallet locations within the facility.

The project included pallet racking, rack protection, sprinkler brackets, steel smoke baffles, top ties, row spacers, pallet location labelling, VNA flooring works, line marking, floor coating, lighting, data, fire alarm works and sprinkler coordination.

Avanta UK also acted as Principal Designer and Contractor for the duration of the project, leading site safety, coordinating trades and managing the wider programme through to handover.

Objectives

The second phase of the project was designed to build on the capacity created during the original installation while supporting the client's continued operational requirements.

Key objectives included:

Increase pallet storage capacity with a further circa 16,000 pallet locations.
Build upon the existing 40,000 pallet location installation to create approximately 56,000 pallet locations across the facility.
Maximise the use of the available warehouse height through a VNA racking configuration.
Provide a precise, efficient and clearly labelled pallet storage layout.
Coordinate racking, flooring, lighting, fire alarm, data and sprinkler works within one managed programme.
Maintain a safe, well-controlled site throughout the construction phase.
Deliver the project with clear sequencing, communication and trade coordination.

What We Delivered

Very Narrow Aisle pallet racking

Avanta designed, supplied and installed a circa 16,000 pallet location racking scheme in a Very Narrow Aisle configuration.

The racking was designed to make effective use of the building height while supporting a high-density pallet storage operation. The system was installed at 13m high, with 2.7m beams and 1950mm wide operating aisles.

The racking is adjustable in 50mm increments, giving the client flexibility to adapt beam levels as storage requirements change over time.

As part of the racking package, Avanta also supplied and fitted:

Row spacers
Top ties
Sprinkler brackets
Steel smoke baffles
Rack protection
Pallet location labelling

Each pallet location was labelled to support clear identification, efficient stock control and day-to-day warehouse operation.

Flooring works and VNA aisle correction

The VNA element of the project required specialist flooring works to support the safe and efficient operation of the system.

Avanta coordinated aisle correction and floor grinding within the VNA area, helping to provide the floor tolerances required for truck operation in narrow aisles.

As part of the preparation works, an electromagnetic guidance wire system was installed and embedded into the warehouse floor. This is a critical component within a VNA operation, allowing the trucks to follow a precise guided path through the aisles. The system supports safe operation, reduces the potential for damage to racking and equipment, and enables the narrow aisle configuration needed to maximise storage density.

In addition to the VNA floor works, Avanta also carried out general floor coating and line marking. This included walkways, demarcation areas and operational markings to help separate pedestrian and vehicle movements and improve visual control across the working area.

Electrical works and building services

The project also included electrical and associated service works, coordinated as part of the wider turnkey package.

This included:

Warehouse lighting
Data installation
Fire alarm works

The sequencing of these services was closely managed alongside the racking layout, flooring works and wider site activity to help maintain programme control and avoid unnecessary disruption between trades.

Sprinkler coordination

Avanta worked in partnership with a leading fire protection specialist for the provision of the sprinkler works.

This ensured that the sprinkler installation was properly coordinated with the racking design with specific bracket locations, steel smoke baffles, top ties and wider warehouse layout.

The approach helped bring together the storage design and fire protection requirements within one coordinated programme.

Principal Designer role

Avanta UK was appointed as PD, coordinating health and safety in the pre‑construction phase. In practice, this meant working with the client and specialist designers to remove or reduce foreseeable risks in the layout — from fire strategy to racking interfaces, clearances and MHE movement — and ensuring the right information flowed to the site teams before works began.

Principal Contractor role

Avanta acted as Principal Contractor for the duration of the project, taking responsibility for leading site safety during construction.

This role included producing the Construction Phase Plan, setting permit and induction regimes, sequencing trades, coordinating temporary works and welfare, and maintaining regular site briefings throughout the programme.

A key part of the role was ensuring that each element of the project was properly coordinated, including the integration of high-level lighting with the racking set-out and the sequencing of flooring works before the final installation stages.

This helped keep the project controlled, predictable and safe, resulting in a clean and well-managed handover.

Project Delivery

As a second phase project for an existing client, continuity was important.

Avanta's previous experience on the site, combined with a clear understanding of the client's operational requirements, helped support a smooth approach to planning, coordination and delivery.

The project brought together several interdependent workstreams, including racking, flooring, protection, labelling, lighting, data, fire alarm and sprinkler works. By managing these activities under one coordinated programme, Avanta provided the client with a single point of responsibility and a clear route through the construction phase.

Outcomes for the Client

The completed phase 2 project provides the client with a further circa 16,000 pallet locations within a high-density VNA configuration. Combined with the original 40,000 pallet locations delivered during the first phase, Avanta has now helped create approximately 56,000 pallet locations within the facility.

The use of 14.2m high racking and 1950mm operating aisles helps maximise the available warehouse cube, while the electromagnetic guidance system enables the VNA trucks to operate accurately and efficiently within the narrow aisle layout. Together with clearly labelled pallet locations, this supports efficient stock control, warehouse navigation and day-to-day operational performance.

The coordinated delivery of racking, flooring, electrical, fire alarm and sprinkler works also helped simplify the project for the client, reducing the need to manage multiple contractors independently.

Most importantly, the project demonstrates the value of a long-term working relationship built on successful project delivery. Having completed the original 40,000 pallet location installation in 2023, Avanta was trusted to return and deliver the next phase of the facility's development. The award of this second project reflects the client's confidence in Avanta's ability to design, coordinate and deliver complex warehouse storage solutions safely, efficiently and as part of a fully managed turnkey package.

Project Highlights at a Glance

Client: Global retailer of fashion, apparel and homewares
Project: Phase 2 turnkey warehouse storage equipment scheme
Storage system: Very Narrow Aisle pallet racking
Additional capacity: Circa 16,000 pallet locations
Total capacity delivered by Avanta: Approximately 56,000 pallet locations
Racking height: 14.2m
Beam length: 3.3m
Aisle width: 1950mm operating aisles
Adjustability: 50mm increments
Additional racking components: Row spacers, top ties, steel smoke baffles and rack protection
Operational details: Pallet location labelling throughout
VNA guidance system: Electromagnetic wire guidance system embedded into the warehouse floor
Flooring works: VNA aisle correction, floor grinding, line marking, demarcation and general floor coating
Electrical works: Lighting, data and fire alarm
Sprinklers: Delivered in partnership with leading fire protection specialist

Avanta role: Designer, supplier, installer and Principal Contractor

Why It Matters

For large-scale retail and distribution operations, warehouse capacity is rarely a one-off requirement. As stock profiles, store networks and operational demands change, the storage infrastructure needs to keep pace.

This project shows how a phased approach can help a client build on an existing warehouse fit-out while maintaining consistency in design, safety and project control.

By returning to Avanta for the second phase, the client was able to extend its pallet storage capacity through a familiar project team with proven experience of the site, the specification and the operational requirements.

For Avanta, the project reflects the importance of long-term customer relationships, practical design and controlled site delivery, particularly where racking, specialist VNA floor preparation, guidance systems, services and fire protection all need to work together as part of one coordinated warehouse solution.