Mitton Retail Case Studies
Fast Track Projects Help Morrisons Convert New Stores Nationwide
Following the announcement last year of Morrisons’ acquisition of 38 former Somerfield and Co-operative Food stores, Mitton has played a major role in the refurbishment and rebranding programme which adds some 500,000ft2 to Morrisons’ total retail space across the UK.
The UK’s fourth largest food retailer, Morrisons continues to achieve significant levels of growth and profitability, and this year secured the most highly sought Award in retail, ‘The Retailer of the Year’ at the Oracle Retail Week Awards 2009 for the second year running - an accolade that only Morrisons has ever achieved.
Adding the new stores to its existing portfolio of 150 smaller stores, these outlets are boosting its total retail space by just under five per cent, and the supermarket giant was keen to achieve a swift turnaround on refurbishment works to bring the stores up to Morrisons’ standards.
Mitton’s work began at a trial store in Shefford, Bedfordshire, and continued apace, with the company converting an average of four stores each week over a ten week period. The scope of works covered almost every aspect of the stores, including service upgrades to all food preparation areas.
Where plant and equipment has been re-used, Mitton carried out extensive servicing and recommissioning work. If beyond use, the company sourced replacement units, installing and commissioning this during the contract period.
None of the stores had sufficient hot and cold water plant and equipment to meet Morrisons’ requirements, so Mitton provided new hot water generation packages, water storage tanks and booster sets to deliver adequate amounts of hot cold water to new preparation areas, as well as providing and installing new ventilation systems to meet Morrisons’ stringent requirements.
Gas installations to new plant were also included, as well as fire suppression systems to canopies. The company also provided and installed air conditioning systems as required, complete with all necessary electrical wiring and installation of automatic controls for the new installations at each store.
All work was tested, commissioned and set to work ready for planned store relaunch dates.
Mitton Dominates On Multi-Site Operational Challenge
The recent successful completion of the massive conversion contract for Morrisons Supermarkets Plc, rebranding and upgrading all the Safeway stores nationwide within a very limited timeframe following the acquisition of Safeway by Morrisons, underlines Mitton’s strength and ability to perform and deliver quality under the most challenging conditions.
Originally planned over a three-year schedule, the contract called for conversions on 197 large stores, 8 megastores, 127 petrol filling stations and 12 boiler plant renewals, as well as a single air conditioning plant renewal on a store in Gibraltar! After the contract began, this timeframe was shortened to a two-year plan and eventually completed in just over 18 months, with Mitton handing over each and every store on time in line with changing schedules.
Logistically, the contract presented significant challenges. From the most northerly site outside Inverness in the Highlands down to Penzance in Cornwall, Mitton made full use of the company’s established nationwide presence to project manage and supply the works, upgrading and improving the building services installations in line with specifications.
With no opportunity to survey each individual site prior to works commencing, Mitton demonstrated both flexibility and innovation to respond swiftly and accurately to the varied requirements, ranging from significant developments in terms of service and maintenance down to minor refurbishment works.
In general, a six-week programme was allowed for each store conversion, with a total of 24 projects running concurrently to achieve the projected timescales. Working on a nationwide contract of this scale tested Mitton’s capabilities and demonstrated the company’s dedication and commitment to sheer hard work to keep to planned schedules and achieve targets.
With all work carried out on an ‘out of hours’ basis to enable the stores to keep trading throughout, the logistical challenges were further complicated by the need to ensure total reliability of material supplies and labour. All installation works were carried out by Mitton personnel, with a dedicated Mitton project engineer controlling each and every conversion.
Commenting on the challenges of the contract, Mitton’s Chairman Michael Taylor underlines the importance of the people behind the projects. “Only a committed team effort could ensure the levels of quality and performance achieved by Mitton throughout this contract,” he stated. “The ultimate success of this contract was founded on teamwork, and the sustained levels of performance achieved are a testament to our focus on customer service and effective project management.”
Creating The Right Atmosphere For Wm Morrisons Supermarkets Plc
Hilmore House on Gain Lane in Bradford is the new operational centre for Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC. This purpose-designed flagship HQ building has successfully brought together remote offices from around Yorkshire, providing centralised support to the company’s business across its stores, manufacturing and distribution sites.
With the stated aim to provide a pleasant and stimulating working environment, Morrisons involved Mitton from the earliest stages of design development, working in partnership with the client, architects, structural engineers and design team to formulate a brief meeting the stringent requirements.
Hilmore House is a modern, hi-tech working environment, spread over four floors and complete with atrium. Mitton was responsible for the design, installation and commissioning of the total mechanical services facilities throughout the building.
Climate control is provided via a four pipe fan coil unit heating and cooling air conditioning system, operating through a total of 500 fan coil units, each individually controlled and linked to the building management system. A fresh air ventilation system provides the necessary fresh air allowance for occupancy, and to meet the new Part L building regulations, heat recovery is achieved on the main air handling plant with the use of desiccant heat wheels.
Mitton provided hot and cold water installations for toilet and canteen facilities throughout the building, with a rainwater recovery system providing water to all sanitary appliances, achieving significant cost savings.
With environmental considerations including efficiency and ‘green’ issues constituting an important part of the project, Mitton also provided lighting controls linked to building management system. Remote monitoring of the entire system allows Mitton to identify at an early stage any issues which may detract from the effective running of the building.
Even with the exceptional temperatures in excess of 35C recorded in 2006, last summer, Mitton’s systems successfully maintained internal temperatures at 22C, with fluctuations of less than half a degree despite the outside heat.