It’s All Systems Go...
It’s all systems go for the building of the new Stax Trade Centres Manchester warehouse. The company purchased the site, opposite its existing branch in Autumn 2007, and last month after a long process were granted full planning permission to build the new custom built state of the art warehouse.
The site had already been cleared and levelled and building starts end of July.
The existing 52,000 sqft warehouse, which has a turnover in excess of £27m, employs over 150 staff and is also the company’s head office, has literally been bursting at the seams for several years. Chairman, Eddie Brady, commented
“Our customers and staff deserve a better environment and we have spent several years searching for the right location and working with architects to design the perfect depot”.
The new 100,000sq ft warehouse, almost double the size of the existing site, will allow customers to benefit from many improvements. A separate goods in area with a huge yard and four times the storage capacity will have its own delivery access route totally separate from the customer car park which will be able to accommodate 200 vehicles compared to the current 75.
The light and airy interior, 8 metres high with 4 level storage, together with the increase in goods in storage capacity will provide more than double the current storage giving customers a greatly improved stockholding. With 50% more selling bays a number of new ranges will be stocked, existing ranges expanded and other products, such as hardwood doors, which have been delisted due simply to lack of space will be reintroduced. A massive dedicated display area for seasonal products such as garden furniture and Christmas trees and decorations, as well as a purpose built showroom for the popular kitchen and bathroom ranges will allow customers to see these ranges properly displayed to their full advantage for the first time.
The new building will also benefit from a modern cost efficient energy management system, improved natural light negating the need for lights in sunny daytime conditions, and together with white racking and a light grey floor will give a light and airy feel to the whole warehouse.
Operations Director, Nigel Wright, in charge of the new build said
“All these improvements together with wider aisles, a new modern purpose built kitchen and cafeteria, a full length loading canopy to protect against the weather and more tills will mean customers will have a much better experience when shopping at Stax”
Branch and Head Office staff will also benefit from
modern new offices designed specifically for a high tech environment with scope for future expansion.
With an anticipated 45 week building programme
and a planned 6 – 8 week period to stock the new branch the company are optimistic that customers will be shopping in the new warehouse by summer 2009.
