What’s new at Johnsons Laboratory Logistics?

The Project

In July 2011, Johnsons Laboratory Logistics were awarded the contract for the relocation of Salford Royal University Teaching Hospital. This project was of a sensitive nature due to the relocation of live wards throughout the schedule.

The Result

The expertise of our Move Management team, working in partnership with the Hospital staff ensured our services were delivered with minimal impact on the hospital staff, activities and patients.

Johnsons Laboratory Logistics have extensive experience of working within premises that accommodate vulnerable children and adults and have strict vetting procedures, including enhanced CRB vetting systems in place.

“Johnsons Laboratory Logistics have been providing relocation services to us for a number of years now. They are competitive, reliable and trustworthy.” Iain Ramsey, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust (September 2015).

The Project
The relocation of the Trusts new £33m purpose built Women and Children’s facility in North Manchester in June 2011.

Departments relocated:

• The Maternity Ward
• Special Care Baby Unit
• Children’s Ward

This project involved the relocation of ward, theatre and medical equipment as well as offices and office supplies. Project Planning and Project Move Management were key aspects of this relocation due to the sensitive nature of the works.

The Result

Johnsons Moving Services skilled and qualified Move Management team, complimented by a large staff and technical resource base enabled the delivery of a bespoke service, and resulted in the project being reduced from the initial 3 day schedule to a one day relocation.

Johnsons Moving Services worked in partnership with the Trust throughout the project to ensure the Trusts requirements were not only met but expectations exceeded, and the project was completed within a reduced timescale and budget.

Our flexible and dynamic approach to Project Move Management and Service Delivery enabled this project to be completed with minimal disruption to the Trust both during and post relocation activity.

“Johnsons Business Moves have been appointed by this Trust as our preferred office relocation company for the past 10 years. We have a good working relationship and specifically use them as they are competitive, always turn up on time with the correct number of operatives, and their removal team is always courteous which matters especially when patients and our staff are affected. In addition, many of our moves are to newly refurbished accommodation, so careful maneuvering of the furniture is critical – Johnsons take the necessary care.” David Shepherd (February 2015).

Phase 1 completed in July 2015, Phase 2 scheduled for February 2016

The Project

Johnsons Moving Services were appointed to plan and relocate the main research facilities which included moving a number of specialist pieces of equipment (such as real-time PCR systems, incubators, HPLC systems, microscopes, centrifuges and Spectrophotometers), laboratory samples in a combination of +4, -20, -80, -150 and liquid nitrogen storage, Johnsons packed and client packed crates and on site student accommodation furniture and gym equipment. The Client is undertaking a two large phase relocation of their research laboratories from Compton to near Woking in phase 1 and an onsite relocation on phase 2.

The move Programme consisted of:

2 x phases of moves (phase 1 already completed in June-Aug 2015, phase 2 to be completed in January-February 2016)

The Challenge

• Develop a move planning strategy that was not going to be disruptive to the ongoing science
• Ensuring all redundant furniture was cleared from the buildings to meet the clients programme
• Co-ordinate both our IT teams (undertaking decommissioning and re-commissioning works) and moves team
• Ensure that the resource strategy allowed for flexibility due to the changing requirements and number of move phases
• Control and manage multiple disciplinary teams across both sites
• Ensuring the integrity of the samples were maintained during the transit period

The Result

Phase 1 was a huge success with no downtime to the client. All specialist equipment, samples, crates and other items were transferred without a single claim to the client’s items or buildings being damaged. Their main concern of the sample transfer was managed seamlessly by The Johnsons Project Move Manager. This was done with specialist ADR compliant polystyrene box + outer being used to transfer the majority of the samples with a combination of gel packs and dry ice being used, along with samples transferred in -80 and -150 freezers in powered transport as well as moving LN samples on fumes in their liquid nitrogen cryostor. The recycling works were delivered with Zero Landfill and a huge CO2 savings that allowed The Pirbright Institute to use against their environmental targets.

“Dear Dave, We have very positive feedback from the end users regarding all the crews involved in the move. In deed at a steering group meeting this week one of the senior scientist not only praised the move teams but also requested if the same teams could be used for the move into the CL2 building next year. I would also like to add my own positive feedback on the crews who were polite, helpful and extremely efficient.” Change Management – Project Manager (September 2015).