Case Study -
Functional and Aesthetic Jackleg Boardroom Suite For Farrat

Overview

Farrat solves some of the biggest problems faced by construction and engineering companies across the globe – caused by noise, vibration, heat transfer and providing precision levelling solutions in advanced manufacturing and power generation.

It’s a diverse portfolio built from over 55 years experience in mechanical, structural, acoustic and construction engineering.  One recent project for a $3.5Bn Abu Dhabi oil and gas pipeline development saw Farrat develop and provide vibration isolation for several huge compressors, without which the entire plant was at risk of sinking into the desert.  Closer to home in the UK’s largest urban shopping development Farrat provided acoustic isolation and insulation for a 14 screen cinema complex in London’s White City development.

All this is driven from its base in Altrincham, where the site covers both offices and a separate manufacturing plant integrated with its’ research and developments capability.  However continued success coupled with future growth plans meant Farrat needed to upgrade its office space with a high-tech board room to discuss ongoing and future projects with partners.

Extending the current offices would be both expensive and disruptive and it was clear that a new modular building solution would work well if the right supplier could be found. Managing Director Andrew Farrell explains, “I had a good idea of what we needed and it was important that we could work with someone who could both understand that and deliver.  After preliminary discussions with the market leader it was clear their inflexibility was not right for us, so we cast the net a little further. Of the suppliers we looked at it was clear there were huge differences in what they could do from their responses to our brief. It helped that Springfield invited me to their factory because as soon as I sat down in their meeting room I realised that it was exactly what we needed.”

Key issues faced by Farrat

• Creating a high-quality business environment to receive prestigious clients
• Providing a new boardroom whilst minimising working disruption to existing operations
• Selecting a suitable partner to provide the bespoke modular building required
• Working with a specialist to provide a turnkey installation including connectivity to utilities and office cabling

What Springfield did

The unit chosen was a 9.6 metre by 3.6-metre jackleg building with large windows and a partially cedar clad exterior. It featured internal partitions, full internal electrics with multiple power sockets and HDMI connectivity to allow presentations. Plastered internally throughout and fitted with spotlights to ceiling, the unit has the fit and feel of a traditionally built office but was delivered at a fraction of the time and cost of that option.

Springfield Mobile’s managing director Lyndsey Duggan adds, “Farrat is a great example of how far modular buildings have come.  We’re removing the constraints where customers once had to put up with limitations and offering solutions that really are as simple as giving customers the buildings that they need to add value to their business.”

Summary and key benefits

Farrat’s new boardroom suite meets both the functional and aesthetic standards that were demanded of an environment where complex solutions to the problems faced in major engineering and construction projects could be developed with the company’s business partners. 

Andrew Farrell concludes, “We’ve got all the qualities of a traditional build through a modular solution, Springfield absolutely met and exceeded our expectations.”