Case study: Office relocation for a major food brand

Earlier this year we entered a tender process to provide a corporately responsible office relocation for a major confectionary and snack foods company. The company operates across the UK and has premises in London, Liverpool, Manchester and Leicester.

The open tender included some stiff opposition, and we were thrilled to be awarded the project.

Project scope

The company needed support with an office relocation in west London. The new space is in an area of London with a strong community vibe, which the company identified in order to provide a better workplace experience for its current employees and attract a wider talent pool.

The existing space included offices and meeting rooms, collaboration spaces, a canteen and a gym. We were engaged to audit all equipment and either move it to the new location or sell, donate or recycle it.

The project required a quick turnaround. Having initially engaged with the client in April, we needed to complete the project before the end of July.

The challenges

Every relocation brings about its own set of challenges, and this was no different.

The first challenge arose following our furniture and equipment audit. We catalogued every item and shared the details with the client. About 95 per cent of the equipment did not need to go to the new office, which meant we had to provide a solution for a wide range of products, including desks, chairs and gym equipment.

The old location even had a gaming room, so we needed to find a new home for gaming chairs and equipment.

The second major challenge was fine art collection. Our MD Rachel Houghton wrote an article for The Mover magazine about the challenges of fine art relocation in August 2021 and our teams have experience of safely transporting valuable collections.

We provided the client with a full scope of work and an outside specialist for the art relocation. The client ended up using its own agent but appreciated our offer and capabilities.

Furniture management

Following our audit, our regional head of sales Stuart Thorley went to market to sell furniture and equipment that was not needed in the new office. Thanks to the amount of equipment sold, the total cost of the project was reduced by 50 per cent.

Not all of the furniture was sold. Some pieces were refurbished by the company providing new furniture for the office, and some pieces were donated the to the charity Business 2 Schools.

Any remaining items were recycled via our sustainable waste management provider, ensuring that nothing went to landfill. We followed this up with a report to the client that detailed exactly where each recycled element went, so they could be assured that nothing ended up in landfill.

One common issue with selling lots of furniture is numerous different people coming to the site to collect items. We removed all items, meaning that there was minimum disruption to the staff on site.

The move

The relocation itself was a success and completed in time. Some of the new furniture was delayed in arriving to the new space, so we installed previous items that were due to be sold until the new pieces arrived.

The client is now at home in its new office, and BMG has been awarded a two-year framework agreement as preferred supplier for relocation and furniture solutions. We look forward to the continuation of a successful partnership.

We provide office relocation support for businesses across the UK. Get in touch today to discuss how we can support your business.