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Action Storage helps Westfield retailers open

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Nov 20, 2008

Action Storage's experienced installation team ensured that equipment was swiftly delivered and installed efficiently, enabling retailers to open their doors on time as planned.

on Time.

When the doors of the new Westfield shopping complex in Shepherds Bush, London, opened for the first time many of the doors belonging to its retailers remained shut.

Despite months of planning, one in five stores failed to open because they'd been unable to get their shop floors and stockrooms ready in time.

However, those assisted by storage specialists Action Storage were able to be ready for the opening day and to greet the 10,000 shoppers who flocked to Europe's largest in-town retail complex.

Although Westfield's Australian developers came from the other side of the world, many retailers found the project management expertise they needed closer to home.

Action Storage supplied twenty stores with shelving, lockers, and stockroom equipment.

Of these, fifteen also chose to use Action Storage's dedicated installation team to outfit the shops.

"Whilst many retailers remained shut on the opening day, our customers were able to open on time," said Action Storage's Sales Director Peter Eyles, "A high level of logistical expertise was required due to the amount of onsite activity in the run up to the opening day".

"Our experience in managing large installation projects meant we knew how to get everything delivered and installed on schedule, enabling our customers to open their doors on time as planned".

Action Storage's unique, free design service provided retailers with a survey of their premises and recommendations on the best arrangement possible for maximising their storage space.

Action Storage's experienced installation team then ensured that equipment was swiftly delivered and installed efficiently.

Stores outfitted by Action Storage included those in the exclusive Luxury Village, where many of their competitors failed to get their stores ready in time and missed out on the opening day's brisk business.

In fact, one of the stores supplied by Action Storage nearly ran out of stock because demand was so high, which highlights the importance of being able to maximise stockroom space and getting equipment installed on time.

The Westfield complex has attracted many headlines because of how it represents the defiance of retailers in the face of an approaching recession.

With 265 shops and five department stores, Westfield covers a larger area than Buckingham Palace, including its grounds, whilst during construction it was the largest building site in the UK.

Getting the retail complex built and ready on schedule has been far from easy for its Australian developers.

An estimated 13 million man hours were spent on the project, and there were up to 10,000 workers on site rushing to get the GBP1.7 billion complex open on time.

A spokesman for Westfield has confirmed that many retailers failed to open due to their intricate shopfitting arrangements.

However, this wasn't a problem for those assisted by storage specialists Action Storage.