Case study: Office relocation for Allianz

Allianz UK, part of the world's largest insurance group and Europe’s top financial services company, recently undertook a major relocation project. The Guildford office transition aimed to optimise workspace, reduce costs, and support sustainability goals.

Project overview

The existing office, designed to accommodate over 1,500 employees, no longer aligned with Allianz's hybrid working model. The move to a newly refurbished office a mile away provided a more appropriate space for up to 600 staff. This shift not only improved cost efficiency but also aligned with Allianz's commitment to sustainability.

Planning and strategy

Business Moves Group (BMG) played a pivotal role in orchestrating the phased relocation. The process included:

• Detailed planning for team movements and workspace allocation.
• Adaptability to delays in building works by adjusting schedules and resources.
• Collaboration with furniture partner Barkhams to refurbish and service seating, ensuring optimal use of existing resources.
• Engagement with the landlord to streamline logistics within the multi-tenanted building.

Weekly catch-up meetings ensured alignment between stakeholders, addressed challenges proactively, and maintained project momentum.

Execution

Our strategy combined operational efficiency with environmental responsibility. Key highlights included:

• The dismantling, relocation, and reassembly of over 600 desks.
• Decommissioning and recommissioning of approximately 600 desktop IT setups.
• Relocation and installation of meeting pods and collaborative furniture.
• Comprehensive clearance of the old office, including redistribution of furniture, removal of confidential waste, and branding disposal.

Sustainability in action

Our sustainability framework - Reuse, Donate, Recycle – supports the circular economy and shaped the project's approach to furniture management:

• Reuse: Over 1,800 items were repurposed in the new office, and 167 pieces were distributed to other Allianz UK sites.
• Donate: 764 items were donated to local schools and charities in Guildford. Additionally, 15,000 sq ft of carpet tiles and six appliances were donated to two local schools.
• Recycle: Any remaining furniture was responsibly processed through our waste management partners.

In total, 80% of the furniture used at Guildford Park was reused, demonstrating Allianz's commitment to sustainability.

One of the schools shared this feedback with us:

“We would like to say a big thank you for the carpet donation! It is in excellent condition, and fits in very well with our existing carpet and decoration. We think that there is enough carpet to refurbish most of our classrooms. This will have a huge impact on the children's learning environment.”

Results

Despite challenges such as delayed building works, the project was completed on time, enabling staff to transition seamlessly into their new workspace. The approach resulted in significant cost savings, minimal environmental impact, and strong community contributions.

Client feedback

“Thank you to the BMG team for your incredible work!

A special thank you to Jason, who made my life so much easier despite the ever-changing scope and onsite challenges. Also, a big shoutout to Ollie for seamlessly taking over the clearance towards the end and handling all additional requests with such ease.

Kevin, it was a pleasure working with you; your calm and adaptable approach, even when things didn’t go as planned, was greatly appreciated. And a big thanks to Dave for expertly managing all the background tasks.

Looking forward to scheduling the same team for our upcoming projects.” – Mike Coventry, Workspace Projects Controller at Allianz.

Office relocation support

We have supported numerous blue chip and FTSE companies with complex office relocations and workplace change projects. You can read more case studies on our website.

To find out how BMG can help your firm a clearance or relocation project, get in touch with our teams or fill out our quote enquiry form.