FEATURE THE BIG INTERVIEW
Support Network
As head of one of the leading heavy duty racking manufacturers in the UK, we spoke to Steve Wickens, managing director at Wickens Engineering about being a market leader in a busy warehousing environment.
W
ickens Engineering was founded by Steve’s father,
employed. At Wickens, racking safety is paramount and with the
Bob Wickens in 1978 and now employs almost fifty
product, quality is unquestionably a key to our business.”
loyal and highly skilled staff and have supplied around
“Key aspects to be considered when storing timber include ease
twenty thousand cantilever racking orders along with a
of access to ensure good stock rotation; robust storage systems to
similar number of bespoke storage solutions over the last 40 years.
prevent handling damage; packs of timber are well supported and at
“We pride ourselves on supplying high-quality products supported
the correct centres to prevent warping; prevention of sun damage or discoloration; prevention of water damage.”
by first class customer service,” says Steve. “In turn, this means that
Cantilever racking and rack clad buildings are ideal for timber products
we have frequent repeat orders from customers, many of whom have traded with us for a very long time. As a customer focused business,
– for the how do these different types of systems operate? “Cantilever
this company-wide culture ensures the very best experience for our
racking is an open-fronted system, which is ideal for the storage of long and
customers from initial enquiry through to installation, thus removing
heavy timber packs. As there are no upright sections restricting access at the
the worry element from the important investment they are making.”
front, cantilever racks allow storage capacity to be maximised as packs of various lengths can be stored side by side. Adding a roof canopy offers some
The most important aspect of any storage system is to make the best
protection from both sun and rain, but this is limited unless full cover is given.
use of the space available and give the customer improved efficiencies
“A rack clad building is a fully-enclosed storage building where the
through reduced handling of products – how is this achieved?
racking uprights form the structural frame of the building. The uprights
“You must first understand what the customer needs – not what we are going to sell, says Steve. “Asking the right questions and developing a
support the roof structure which can be fitted with rainwater goods.
solution that works for the customer is our priority. Once we understand
Purlins and conventional cladding are fitted on all sides, along with roller
the requirements, we can then complete a structural design and propose a
shutter doors and pedestrian access to form an enclosed structure.
solution. Often the costing stage is at the tail end of the process, when we are
“A rack clad building project can potentially require much more
sure that the customer is getting the racking design that works best for them.
planning and consideration due to complexity of the project, but it can be erected in as little as 12 weeks from order. This solution is much
“A reliable storage system’s design is based on structural calculations to ensure that the system is robust and suitable for the
quicker and cheaper than a conventional building that can typically take
application. The quality then depends on the manufacturing processes
up to a year to complete. Such a building is fully modular and can be
and control systems, as well as the quality of steel and the finish
extended later or moved to a new location altogether.
Timber Trader UK Magazine
Winter 2021-2022
20
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