Preparing for lift-off
When part of Collins Aerospace's electronics manufacturing facility in Plymouth needed urgent roof repairs, they didn't have to look far for help. Already on site delivering a full suite of soft and hard facilities management services, 14forty were well-placed to step up to the task.
The task at hand was urgent roof overcladding, which involved installing a new protective layer over the existing roof to reinforce the structure without removing the original materials.
Given the tight timelines and the critical nature of the roofing work, completing the project on schedule was essential to avoid disrupting their operations.
Working closely with our specialist supply chain and Collins Aerospace’s own teams, we took the project from design and tender right through to mobilisation and delivery.
The approach
With capital funding secured, we got straight to work. This was a high-risk job that required meticulous planning from the get-go. One of the key challenges we faced was keeping day-to-day operations running while safely removing and storing more than seven tonnes of solar panels. No easy feat!
With the help of a forty-tonne crane specified for the lift, we needed to spread the load evenly across the roof. To achieve this, we designed and erected dedicated scaffold storage bays to house the solar panels during works, all while maintaining a safe, compliant site in line with CDM 2015 regulations.
The project was managed by our on-site FM team, with ongoing support from our central functions Technical Compliance Director, who closely monitored permits, technical planning, and high-risk activities. By providing regular updates at every stage, we kept Collins’ Business Shared Services and EHS managers in the loop from start to finish.
The result
Even with the tight deadlines and complexity of the project, we completed the work on time and within budget, all without disrupting Collins Aerospace’s operations.
But we didn’t stop there. Since the fixed scaffold was already in place, we identified opportunities to save costs on additional work. This included overcladding an additional canopy and rust-treating and respraying a whole elevation of the building - just one example of how we like to go the extra mile for our customers!
“14Forty managed the project on behalf of Collins Aerospace from inception to completion, with consistent communication that kept us informed of progress and swiftly addressed any technical issues. The project was successfully delivered on time and within budget, representing a significant achievement for the Plymouth site.” - Collins Aerospace