The second largest provider of private healthcare in the UK

Spire Healthcare is the second largest provider of private healthcare in the UK with 38 hospitals employing 7,600 staff and treating 930,000 patients each year.  The hospitals provide a wide range of services, from diagnostic and routine investigations, to more complex surgery and are also heavily involved in sport through their Perform Service, who are the Official healthcare provider for the FA’s St. Georges Park National Centre of excellence near Burton-Upon-Trent.

The perform centre at St Georges Park is home to top-class clinicians and state-of-the-art equipment with the aim of becoming an internationally renowned centre of excellence for sports and exercise medicine, performance science, injury rehabilitation and strength and conditioning.

Spire Healthcare is committed to investing in the quality of service provided throughout the organisation and has invested in its own supply chain to ensure that vital medicines and supplies are delivered on time from its state-of-the-art National Distribution Centre in Droitwich.  To accommodate the wide range of products, the DC is equipped with tailor-made storage solutions including a two-tier mezzanine floor, pallet racking, shelving and security meshed areas… all supplied by Total Interiors Storage Solutions.

The first project undertaken by Total Interiors was over five years ago when Spire Healthcare moved from three smaller warehouses into the new Distribution Centre and Total designed and supplied a narrow aisle pallet racking system to accommodate Bendi Articulated Forklifts.

As the Spire Healthcare business grew so did the need for additional storage space, especially for smaller items and order picking.  Working in partnership with the Spire Healthcare project team, Total Interiors recommended and designed a two tier mezzanine floor which would create the additional storage required and allow for continued growth.  One of the challenges faced by the Project Team was that the everyday duties of the DC had to continue whilst the mezzanine floor was being built, something Jerry Ruane, MD of Total Interiors was confident that could be accommodated.

“As one of the leading providers of industrial and retail storage in the UK we have vast experience when it comes to Construction, Design and Management (CDM) and the duties associated with being the Main Contractor” commented Jerry.  “Working closely with the DC management team to understand their operational needs we produced a plan, including risk assessments and safe method statements, that would enable us to complete the project on time safely and with minimum disruption to the daily warehouse activities.  This meant that for a two month period over December and January, the site was manned and project managed 24/7 by Total Interiors.”

The Spire Healthcare DC operated a two-shift system, which dictated that work on the first floor could only be undertaken between the hours of 9.00pm and 5.00am.  Once the first floor was installed, the build plan was stepped up to 24 hours – 7 days a week; working on the second floor during the day when the DC was in operation and then installing the floor fire protection throughout the night once the last shift have left in the evening.

The two-tier mezzanine floor has increased floor space significantly and is fitted with long span shelving on the ground and first floor for order picking smaller goods.  The second floor is designed to accommodate future projects and all floor levels are fitted with pallet gates to ensure the safe loading of goods.

In addition to the first mezzanine floor, Total Interiors have recently installed another two-tier mezzanine floor as well as a high bay narrow aisle racking system for document storage and pallet racking for bulk goods.  It is Total Interiors expertise in offering complete storage solutions that appeals to Spire Healthcare, according to Warehouse Manager, Dave Broad.

“We initially looked at a number of companies but right from the start we were confident that Total Interiors could deliver what they promised”, commented Dave.  “They listened to our needs and matched them perfectly with a number of tailored storage solutions, always on time and within budget.  The fact that they take total ownership of each project means that we can concentrate on running the DC.”