Up, up and away: aerospace manufacturing facility on the move

This leading supplier to the aviation industry chose a shell of a building from which to create its new production facility. Planning staff called in R&S to design and develop a modern, efficient, high-spec facility.

Background

This client is a leading global provider of parts and services for ‘legacy aircraft’. It manufactures and services a range of aerospace component parts for more than 3,000 customers worldwide.

Challenges

In 2011 the company needed to relocate and consolidate a number of its manufacturing and repair processes to a single location: they were, at the time, spread across a number of locations, some of which were owned by their competitors. The nature of its activities and the requirements placed on it by its clientele mean the company’s operations have to be flexible and adaptable to meet changing demands. The new facility needed to meet very specific requirements for tasks including handling aviation fuel – and be adaptable and easily modified to suit constant changes in processes and work activities

The biggest challenge, perhaps, was to complete the work while achieving zero unplanned manufacturing downtime.

For a variety of reasons its executives chose to refurbish and modernise an existing steel-framed building in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, to create a 6,000 square metre manufacturing, repair and overhaul facility.

Solutions

We worked with the client to design and develop plans for comprehensive mechanical and electrical services installations. Our client had the foresight to involve us from the outset, enabling us to provide concept designs and venture guidance costs before agreeing a fixed price contract and defining the scope of works.

Works included:

• high-specification offices, manufacturing facilities, laboratories and warehousing
• all utilities, including a 11,000 volt substation
• M&E services infrastructure and centralised plant
• air conditioning and heat recovery ventilation
• lighting and power
• fire alarm and sprinkler protection
• data network infrastructure
• compressed air and specialist gas supplies
• complex aviation fuel test facility
• building management system

The project took 12 months to complete, including R&S assisting the client with their relocations and post-move analysis to ensure maximum production efficiency.

Results

Together, we completed this project on time, on budget and with zero unplanned manufacturing downtime.

The initial mechanical and electrical services contract value was in excess of £2.3 million. Following this project our client relocated its oxygen cylinder refurbishment service facilities from Slough, calling in R&S to assist and involving us in the design and construction of the new facility, in Cheltenham.

R&S now provides a comprehensive planned preventative maintenance package with full technical support.