The project involved the re-organisation of 1,200 staff across 6 buildings within the same campus at Stevenage, with one phase requiring an 820 person move over one weekend. It also included the re-organisation of 3 industrial units containing laboratories and missile test areas, as well as the installation of over 200 specialist ESD work benches.

Project Planning

Xpress received an outline move description from the MBDA Project Manager and attended their site for an initial briefing.

Surveys of the relevant areas involved in the relocation, including all crate requirements were carried out shortly after.

Once we had received a final schedule of service requirements we completed all quotation requirements and forwarded to them MBDA. We then organised regular project meetings with all contractors involved in order to co-ordinate the planning, as well as carrying out interviews and briefings with all move co-ordinators.

Occupation Profiles were constructed to identify all staff and equipment moving, including identifying desk heights to be raised and lowered. Controlled CAD plans for new areas including full numbering systems were prepared and final move schedules were also prepared.

Once final layout plans were issued a coloured labelling system was agreed, and pre-printed move labels were supplied with a bespoke Move Guide for all members of MBDA staff involved.

Crate deliveries were booked in, and labels, move guides and security seals were delivered to site and distributed accordingly.

All access routes and work areas were identified, and the required risk assessments were formulated and signed off by MBDA’s Safety and Health Executive Team prior to the relevant move dates, final sign off of areas was carried out on the day prior to move commencement

Move Execution

Xpress set up a move control centre in conjunction with the Information Management Team from MBDA, where on-site issues could be reported, broadcast to relevant parties and actions set in place to rectify where necessary.

Each phase was carried out as follows:

• Attend site with crews materials and vehicles
• Carry out a full move briefing (all staff already held induction certificates)
• Place all move warning signage
• Cordon off relevant work areas
• Lay building protection to all affected areas
• Distribute all IT crates and bubble wrap whilst IT engineers decommission equipment
• Pack all IT and move to holding areas
• Dismantle furniture and screens as required
• Move all relevant furniture to new locations
• Lay out furniture to new floor plans including desk raising and lowering
• Move and unpack IT equipment and place onto desks
• Relocate filing cabinets whilst engineers recommission IT equipment
• Deliver all seating to final locations
• Deliver all pedestals once engineers have completed recommissioning
• Sign off IT with IT engineers
• Move and place all filing and desk content crates
• Move any surplus items and furniture to storage
• Sign off move with MBDA Project Team
• Place ‘move snagging boards’ in all areas
• Remove all materials and moving equipment from site 

Post Move Support

• Attend site on first working day after move and sign off each area with the Client Project Manager and Departmental Representative
• Brief on site crew to assist staff in crate unpacking/removal and general assistance
• Set up ‘Move Help Desk’ to collate any information on Move Snagging Boards and action relevant technician to rectify problem
• Formulate any additional move schedule requirements and book in crew to complete
• Collect all crates from site

Post Move Evaluation

A post move evaluation and ‘lessons learnt’ forum with MBDA Project Team was set up after each move where any amendments to SLA’s as a result of forum findings were highlighted.

Xpress also carried out an internal review to evaluate performance and make improvements as necessary which was communicated to all relevant staff.