Filstorage show end-to-end capability as they help John Nicholls with new branch

Filstorage has accomplished the complete fit out from design through to installation of John Nicholls’ Building and plumbing Merchants new branch in Towcester.

Like Filstorage, John Nicholls was founded as a family business, and is still run by the Nicholls family. Founded in 1965 by late chairman John Nicholls, the company is now assured by sons Andrew and Philip who have continued to drive the company forwards.

John Nicholls has an expanding network of 18 building & timber and plumbing & heating branches and 10 kitchen and bathroom showrooms throughout Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Dorset and Hampshire proudly employing over 250 people.

Having decided to expand and bring a new Plumbers Merchant into the market town of Towcester, Northamptonshire, Filstorage were directed to help undertake the design, supply and installation of their new branch.

Taking a completely empty unit, Filstorage designed the new branch to meet the specific customer requirements of the store. This included an initial site visit and consultation with the team at John Nicholls to verify the necessities of the branch and to draw up and measure up the site ready for the design team to take over. The final design included supply and installation of a range of different types of racking and shelving including:

• Pallet Racking for general storage of palletised goods.
• Vertical Racking for storage of copper pipes and uPVC
• Longspan for products that are manually handled
• Shelving Units for copper and plastic fittings.

To maximise the space of the small site, a mezzanine floor was also installed to create additional floor space and storage. Despite working with the challenge of the low height of the building, our designers found a way to ensure that there was the space available to safely install the mezzanine floor at an optimum height so that headspace both underneath and above were sufficient. Following the installation of the mezzanine floor, Filplastic baskets were set up, offering the perfect solution to the widely accustomed display and storage of plumbing fittings within the merchant industry.

Filstorage also undertook the supply and installation of the trade area including shopfitting and a new trade counter installed with John Nicholls branding incorporated.

Martyn Morgan, Filstorage Business Development Manager commented: “This was a particularly interesting project to be involved in as it required a variety and quantity of items to be stored in a small area. Our designer had to ensure that all of these could be stored and displayed appropriately to maximise selling potential with an efficient layout in mind. 

“Furthermore, the installation of the mezzanine floor provided a thought-provoking challenge with little room with us to play with. I’m extremely pleased with the end-result and believe that the branch will prove to be a success for John Nicholls.

“I’d also like to thank John Nicholls for entrusting us with this project and I would like to wish the team at the Towcester branch all the best for the future.”

Image 1: Pre-installation

Images: Racking & Shelving

Images: Shop Shelving and Trade Counter