The display team has been involved in the development of Levi’s new factory store concept.

Triplar recently completed a trial store for the brand in Serravalle, Italy. It is one of four stores being trialled globally, with three further outlets in in the US, Korea and Japan. The new store concept is an entirely new direction for the brand.

The concept makes heavy use of several core materials, including Oak, Douglas Fir, MDF, hot and cold Rolled Steel and plumbing parts. It also incorporates large scale fabric and wallpaper graphics.

Working in conjunction with an Italian partner to complete the furniture and fitting elements for the store, Triplar installed the fit-out in just three days during October – ensuring the concept was delivered as envisaged by Levi’s.

Following this exciting project Triplar is looking forward to continuing its relationship with Levi’s in 2014.

Following 12-months of continuous hard work by all involved, the new store concept roll-out for Oxfam has been recognised in the 2014 DBA Design Effectiveness Awards.

Designed by StartJG and implemented by Triplar, the store concept collected a Bronze award in the Interiors/Retail category for both StartJG and Oxfam respectively. The awards took place on 13^th February 2014 and recognise the return on investment that a powerful design strategy can generate.

In the past year Triplar has completed work at 25 store locations for the charity, from Bath to Bury St Edmonds up to Lancaster in the north. This month will also see the remotest location completed to date, with works scheduled at the Rothesay store, on the Isle of Bute out in the Firth of Clyde.

Alongside supplying main retail fixture displays, including uprights, shelves, cash desks and gondolas, Triplar is undertaking an additional fixture programme within Oxfam. The scheme involves store areas to be given a budget to purchase additional fixtures for their store network, which currently encompasses 32 regions across the UK.

Further work at stores in Oxford and London is planned over coming months, with more in the pipeline throughout 2014.

Nestled only a stone’s throw from Lush’s HQ, and despite its diminutive size, the small store in Poole Quay, Dorset has played an important role in the brand’s heritage.

The shop (just 20m2 of retail space with a 40m2 spa) has been central to the company’s business ventures since 1977, when Lush was a supplier known as Constantine & Weir.

The company has always maintained a presence at the store throughout its evolution into retailer Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics – with stores in over 50 countries worldwide.

Recognising the important role the shop has played in its history, Lush decided to invest in its interior, contracting Triplar to unearth original features – such as boarded up fireplaces – to rediscover its original charm and character.

Works to both the retail and spa areas took place over 12 days and included new electrical, heating and ventilation installations. In addition, the space was redecorated and new furniture and fittings installed.

To view a timelapse of the store being fitted click on the video above.

Lush fans who make a pilgrimage to the store where it all began, can also expect to find some special items that are only available at 29 High Street. An exclusive perfume and special canvas bag, as well as a full retro range of bygone products –helping complete a unique store refit.

Triplar’s store roll-out project with Oxfam in the UK is nearing the finish line, with 20 stores now completed in the UK.

In-keeping with Oxfam’s philosophy, of vital importance to the entire programme has been a focus on environmentally sustainable solutions – with Triplar working hard to reduce freight miles and incorporate rail into the supply chain.

The project began with Triplar interpreting the drawing pack; developing the concept, value engineering each item and producing prototype fixtures from wood, metal and acrylic. These items were then approved before production commenced.

Fixtures include wood display cubes, cash desks, shelving, uprights, freestanding floor cubes, gondolas and rails. All items were manufactured in Italy before returning to Triplar’s UK base for sign-off.

Following the success of the project Triplar is now working on a range of fixtures for the charity’s book store concept.

As you know, our status as a family business is integral to everything we do. And in this guest article Paul Andrews, Founder and Managing Director or Family Business United, outlines some of the benefits of working with a family business.

For many years, partly as a result of their portrayal as ‘ma and pa’ lifestyle businesses, family firms have not been recognised for the true contribution that they make to the UK economy.  In the current economic climate, family firms are being looked upon much more favourably not least because of their underlying values, plans for the future, longevity and desire to succeed.  The contribution they make should not be under-estimated either with significant jobs being provided, communities being supported and the fact that family firms are truly the backbone of the British economy.

So what makes working with family firms special and ‘Why do big corporates and PLC’s like doing business with private family businesses?

I would sum it up in three areas:

1 – Leadership from the front

First and foremost, family firms tend to be headed up by someone who has the family business in their blood, and as such doing business with someone who takes personal pride and ownership in their business makes them desirable to work with.

Rather than simply doing business, family firms make it personal, traditional values such as honesty, integrity and personal service comes to the fore.  No longer are you doing business with an organisation per se but a business that is owned and very often managed on a day-to-day basis by someone that cares about their business, and appreciates that delivering good, consistent customer service is key to driving the business forward.  To that end, family firms provide a good relationship base with access to the key decision makers who are happy to engage with clients.

2 – A sense of history and purpose

Secondly, family firms have a history, tradition and legacy and tend to be around for the long term.  Recent research done by Family Business United identified the ten oldest family firms in the UK and collectively they have been trading or over 4,200 years, no mean feat in the current climate and they have survived world wars, recessions and more besides.

Family firms tend to plan for the future and are able to adapt and evolve to ensure the business survives.  As the business transcends the generations there is a desire to succeed and pass a successful organisation on to future generations, and as such this can offer customers in the corporate world more security about who they are doing business with, and assurances that the business is in it for the long term.

3 – Because it is personal

Thirdly, it is personal.  Brand, name and reputation mean everything, especially when it is ‘your name above the door.’

Many family businesses have been around for generations, take the Warburton’s, The Goring Hotel, Floris, JCB and Kinloch Anderson for example, and the family name is associated with everything that the business stands for.  To that end, corporates know that they are dealing with a long established brand, one with values that permeate the organisation, and one with true values underpinning the work that they do rather than ‘corporate words, mission statements and meaningless charters.’

Family businesses are renowned around the world for being outward looking, in it for the long term, willing and responsive to change and sustainable and as such represent excellent business partners, many leading the way in their respective markets.

Family firms represent more than 3 million firms in the UK economy, provide 9.2 million jobs and contribute £1.1 trillion (almost a quarter of UK GDP) and make up nearly half of all mid-sized businesses in the UK (£20-500 million turnover)*

Far from being small ‘lifestyle businesses’ families are behind some of Britain’s best known and loved brands and you may find that you are already working with some of them!  As a second generation family firm that has recently seen the successful transition from the first to the second generation, Triplar is proud to be a family firm.

Earlier this year the Triplar board commenced a series of planning sessions with a view to establishing some fundamental goals for the business over the coming years. Sean Elliot has been driving the programme and explains the next steps for the business:

Our Steering Group, comprising of a number of staff across the business, will help shape the plan supported by a standard set of values. Together they will establish the basic building blocks which will form a set of specific programmes covering every aspect of what we do; from Finance through to People, Operations/Supply Chain, Sales and Health & Safety.

The plan was presented and signed off by the board in March and implementation began in April. It is fair to say that we are still making our way through the various programmes and there is a lot to do, but you may have noticed some of these building blocks beginning to take shape:

Health & Safety – Graham Richards is leading our continued focus on H&S and is currently taking his professional qualifications supported by a consultant that is helping the business to refine and develop its policy and procedures.

Customer Planning and Customer Insights – We have recently implemented Customer Plans for all our valued customers. These plans outline in a succinct and clear manner all that we do for our customers, key facts about the customer and a simple summary of the most important actions we have in place with each of our customers right now. The plans are a reminder that all our customers are very important to us and that we want to remain vigilant in delivering on their needs and expectations.

As part of our dedication to great customer service we have started to conduct a series of interviews with our customers, asking them what they think of the service we deliver and looking at areas of improvement or enhancement across a number of areas.

Resources – To support our growth we need to ensure we have the right people in the right place to help deliver for our new and existing customers, so once again we have commenced a plan which has already brought new people into the business. We want to make sure they are welcomed and get settled in quickly with what is a very tight-knit and close team of professionals delivering excellent customer service.

There is of course much more to come and we shall continue to keep you informed, but we also want to make sure we do not get distracted too much with planning and maintain a clear focus on doing what we do best.

Triplar’s shop fitting team recently completed a new G-Star store at Westfield White City under tight restrictions.

The team had to work closely with G-Star, the franchisee and Westfield to ensure the project was completed successfully. The 164m2 store took just seven weeks to complete, including a week of removals, to complete.

The project incorporated a mechanical and electrical re-fit, full height stud work, decoration, hardwood combined with concrete flooring, and stock-racking. The wall fixtures and furniture units were supplied and installed by G Star direct contractors. The fit-out also included a new storefront and signage, as well as new lighting and life safety systems throughout.

The biggest challenge faced during the project was the installation of the new shopfront which comprised of full size glass panels, doors and an internal concrete façade. Due to the size and weight of each component careful planning and co-ordination was critical to ensure the successful delivery of the shop front window display without compromising safety at any stage during the installation.

G Star White City opened to the public on Friday 15th November 2013.

Triplar have been members of The National Association of Shop fitters (NAS) for over 25 years, supporting and participating in all aspects of the organisation’s work, with Mike Rodwell last year appointed to the NAS Executive Council. So what does the NAS do? And how is Triplar helping to shape its policy? Mike explains…

“Formed in 1919 NAS represents the needs of shop fitters and retail design businesses.  By acting with one voice the Association is well placed to promote dialogue between its members and stakeholders, provide practical advice, and develop accredited training programmes.

“While building on its history, the NAS also works extensively on future requirements in our industry sector, including accreditation and training.”

Accredited Work Force

“Alongside its support for construction industry schemes such as CSCS cards, the NAS continues to underpin the basic standards with its own management and operational systems clearly detailed in PAS 82:2012. NAS also promotes the use of its own Shop fitting and Interior Contracting Competency Scheme (SICCS) to ensure that everyone in the sector can demonstrate the necessary level of competence, qualifications and Health and Safety awareness.”

Training

“Vitally important to NAS activities is its work to increase the wealth of training courses available to members.  Working through the ‘Shop Fitting Independent Training Forum – SITF’ members are able to access every aspect of development training needs such as: Health and Safety; First Aid; Shop Fit Management; CAD; Estimating; Practical Skills;  and Ad-Hoc courses as the need arises. Courses are available for all levels of employee: from apprentices to directors.”

Industry Developments

“Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a hot topic at the moment and the NAS is actively working with all stakeholders to help the industry incorporate this Government-mandated process.   Although in the early stages of development, the NAS is actively involved in working groups and testing plans to ensure they work.

“NAS members are encouraged to be accredited under the Considerate Constructor Scheme. And the NAS is working to ensure the scheme contains all the relevant parts applicable to interior fit outs and does not over burden shop fitting contractors in areas not applicable to their works.

Awards

“The annual Design Partnership Awards recognise exemplary performance achieved by NAS members and are independently judged and awarded.  Ranging across the spectrum of fit outs the Award encourages all members to be proud of their achievements.”

This spring has marked the beginning of a new and exciting relationship between Triplar and Oxfam.

A roll-out shop fitting programme has begun that will initially encompass 19 stores across the UK before July – with the first store successfully completed at the end of March in Bury.

In-keeping with Oxfam’s philosophy, of vital importance to the entire programme has been a focus on environmentally sustainable solutions – with Triplar working hard to reduce freight miles and incorporate rail into the supply chain.

The project began with Triplar interpreting the drawing pack; developing the concept, value engineering each item and producing prototype fixtures from wood, metal and acrylic. These items were then approved before production commenced.

Fixtures include wood display cubes, cash desks, shelving, uprights, freestanding floor cubes, gondolas and rails. The freestanding floor cubes are constructed with Oriented Strand Board (OSB) and stencilled to mirror the crates Oxfam use to transport goods around the world, and the rails bring a sense of the charity’s activities instore – incorporating copies of the taps used on water projects.

Triplar Project manager Nicole Phillips said: “This is a fantastic project for us and we are enjoying developing a strong relationship with an organisation that shares our ethos and outlook. Pushing the boundaries of what is possible in pursuit of sustainability is already benefiting other aspects of our business.”

The Triplar design and shopfitting teams have headed back to school with two unique projects for local schools.

Work at Brooksbank School saw Triplar fit-out the interior of a new extension to provide a new art area, post-16 study area and library area on the mezzanine.

The design team developed all designs and concepts for the school’s approval before work commenced on manufacturing the array of bespoke furniture required for the project including multi-coloured storage unit, drinks preparation station and coffee tables in the library, as well as feature lighting and clean-up units for art area.  All were assembled by the factory team before installation works were completed on-site over a three-week period.

A smaller project at Park Junior School saw the team create and install furniture for the school’s ‘Ready Room’ which included two desk units and two cupboards. The project was successfully completed in a short period, with just a day-and-a-half spent on site to complete the installation process.