Easilift Loading Systems has formally opened our new Head Office, from which the company will spearhead growth to capitalise on a hugely successful 2011 in loading bay solutions.
The office building has been fully customised to suit our needs, including a combined open-plan Sales, Projects and Design office; a state of the art conference room; and a Service Department which has been future proofed to accommodate further expansion throughout 2012.
Easilift Loading Systems takes up the story
When we devise loading bay solutions for our customers, we pride ourselves on careful project management in order to optimise space and design for increased workplace efficiency.
So when we moved to our new head office, we employed exactly those same qualities and high standards.
At the beginning of 2012, we moved to Pembroke House to spearhead Easilift Loading Systems' growth to capitalise on a hugely successful 2011. Before that, though, the building had to be completely refitted to suit our requirements.
Pembroke House is only half a mile away from Spring Grove, our headquarters since 1980. The building built during the 1990s was used as a local business hub, and we had often rented out offices for meetings and conferences.
When it came onto the market, it coincided with our own ambitions for a state-of-the-art workspace that better reflects our current growth and future plans. However, Pembroke House as it then existed didn't quite meet our specifications, so we redesigned the inside of the building using the same techniques that we employ on loading bay project work.
Our brief was to feature the following:
- Open-plan Sales, Projects and Design office allowing strong communication and close co-operation through the entire development and installation process
- Dedicated service department;
- State-of-the-art conference facilities, with smartboard.
- Finance and administration department
- Co-ordinated aesthetics, reflecting Easilift Loading Systems brand values
Our starting point was to utilise our proven Solidworks software the cornerstone of our bespoke loading bay solutions to map out the available space in 3D modelling. Working closely with architects and builders, we were therefore able to convey our exact requirements.
The photos below show before and after views of the building, with expert commentary from Graham Hepworth, who helped to co-ordinate the project.
Renovation
All internal partitioning was removed along with the suspended ceiling structure to create open plan spaces where required and to give a cleaner, modern feel to the working environment as the previous ceiling looked jaded.
Initially the desk layouts were determined and agreed with each Department manager. The result of that planning exercise determined not only the location of furniture but also network, power and telephone points.
The office space occupies approximately 3,500 square feet over two floors.
Reception
The Reception area is modern and set along bright, clean lines incorporating a curved spotlighted wall displaying the Company logo and incorporating some seating space. Visitors have to be allowed access to the building from within.
Meeting Rooms
Two meeting rooms have been accommodated into the plan, both of which have to be booked via a dedicated Outlook diary.
The "Conference room" seats up to 12 and boasts a 77" touch screen capable smart board for presentations. Access to the Company's network and the internet is also possible; however computers belonging to visitors will have access to the internet only. Voice conferencing is also possible via a conference unit with speakers installed toward each end of the table mitigating the need for people to move around the room to be heard.
The "meeting room" seats up to 6 and also boats a 42" flat panel monitor for presentation / display purposes along with a voice conferencing unit.
There is also a seating area outside either for visitors using either of the meeting rooms or for use as an informal breakout area for staff use.
Finance
The Finance Office has been set out to mirror the desk layouts adopted in other Departments and also provide adequate document storage to ensure that sufficient space is available for keeping up to two years' worth of financial documents at hand in order to service audit requirements efficiently.
The Finance office also encompasses a communications / server room that enables us to maintain permanent links to our Dutch head office and previous site, which has been retained as a storage yard for equipment held in store awaiting onward transit to the allocated job.
Sales and Projects
Originally an open plan area, the intention was to space plan the area for a maximum of 18 people while wanting to incorporate a partition between the two departments as a means of reducing sound pollution, as far as possible, but yet not impede the spread of natural light within the office space.
Even though the sales team are not always in the office their presence was planned for by way of hot desks, each with its own phone and network point.
Service
When Easilift took ownership of the building, this area was partitioned into five separate areas providing office spaces and a communications / server room. The latter was moved to the ground floor, allowing the whole space to be turned into an open plan office.
While this area has been space planned for, and could accommodate 18 people, it is currently laid out to accommodate the number of existing staff and therefore allows future growth while also providing the necessary filing and working space expected in a modern high quality Service Department.
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