Home furnishing giant refurbishes retail location by adding 2nd floor mezzanine platform

Los Angeles: March 11, 2019. Recently, a home furnishing giant found a great retail location; with a major drawback. The site needed greatly expanded merchandise storage.

The project came to Western Pacific Storage Solutions' (www.wpss.com) attention and estimating got involved right away. Bill Whitehouse, Western Pacific Storage Solutions' sales manager said, "Opportunities like this one were just perfect for this retailer and we were honored to help them realize it." The P.O. came soon thereafter and Alex Rivas, Western Pacific Storage Solutions' Senior Project Manager got involved a few weeks later. With 35 years in the material handling industry and having completed over 100 storage facilities in California, Alex appeared to be the most qualified person to lead the project.

When Western Pacific got the contract, the project was two months behind schedule. Western Pacific engineered a work platform which had to go up two levels and support the 20,000 lbs. of RiveTier industrial shelving the customer purchased; most of which was placed on the 2nd level for storage. The height from floor to top of platform deck was 9'4" and the final size of work platform (mezzanine platform) was 1,500 sq. ft. supporting 15 tons of steel. This was all straight forward engineering. The sort of meat and potatoes done all the time at Western Pacific, but this being the retail environment, there were many revisions.

Western Pacific engineering got involved with the back and forth with design drawings and approvals. Obviously, retail centers have lots of changes and WPSS's in-house engineering department made it as easy as possible for the customer. Changes are normal, but this was a lot of work and Gil Phillips, WPSS CAD, was responsible for many of those changes on the design drawings including the last-minute placement of a conveyor system. WPSS had to adjust for that opening which had access to the top storage level and Gio Anzures, WPSS engineer, was instrumental in solving the complicated shelving layout.

Because the store was going to be selling lightbulbs and ceiling-mounted light fixtures under the work platform (mezzanine platform), they needed a spacious area to sell light fixtures. The architects said, "We're going to need bigger free spans to showcase these light fixtures." WPSS typically does spans of less than 15'.

WPSS had to retain a structural engineering firm who calculated the size beams to hold the 23' open support and provided guidance for the vertical support members. A free span of 23' also meant WPSS had to switch over to heavier structural components increasing the cost of the project.

WPSS made the foregoing changes working around water sprinklers, drywall contractors and lots of electrical tradespeople. When the project design was approved, WPSS began manufacturing the work platform and shelving system and delivered two truckloads in only one month. Four weeks later, the installation (not done by WPSS) was completed. Noted earlier, the project was two months behind when WPSS was engaged. All the above was accomplished and the customer's grand opening target period was met.

When they had their grand opening, the retailer was only 2 days behind their original schedule. The retail center was open and operational after two weeks the installation was completed. The contractor was pleased with Western Pacific's contribution to the project and Project Manager Alex responded, "It takes a real team effort to properly execute a project like this."

ABOUT WPSS: For over twenty years, Western Pacific Storage Solutions (www.wpss.com) has established itself as a premier supplier and manufacturer of industrial shelving and work platforms (mezzanine platforms) to some of the world's largest corporations. Serving the smartest links in the supply chain, the company's operations in California, Texas, and Kentucky include two state-of-the-art manufacturing plants, and three strategically-located distribution centers.

More Info: http://www.wpss.com