GB Lubricants, Gateshead, Tyne & wear

PROJECT:  8 modules to create 24m x 6m State of the art Laboratory facility including offices, changing room and WC’s.

CLIENT DETAILS: GB Lubricants have a long history dating back to 1877, and they are a proud British manufacturer based in the town of Gateshead in the North-East of England. They are one of the longest-standing, privately-owned manufacturers of premium-quality oils and lubricants in the UK. Since the company was formed, GB Lubricants has developed an outstanding reputation all over the UK and that reputation continues to expand around the globe, with a presence in over 25 countries. They have an excellent reputation for customer service, and their website proudly states - “Our customers have, and always will be, a vital part of our business, and we will continue to strive to provide the highest quality products with an exceptional customer delivery service to every one of you.”

OVERVIEW: GB Lubricants develops and manufactures an extensive range of world-class lubricants to suit clients’ individual requirements, which are developed in their QC Laboratory. Growing demand for their products created the need for more space in both their factory and QC Laboratory. The space required for the new 24 x 6M building was created by moving the QC Lab from a position within the factory, freeing up valuable space, to an external location previously occupied by an existing modular building. Given that the QC Lab regularly welcomed clients to discuss and review lubricants being developed, GB Lubricants was keen to provide an impressive, state-of-the-art “Tech Centre” to demonstrate their latest technologies and global quality standards. Consequently, they were eager to find a modular manufacturer who could demonstrate a reputation for delivering high-quality internal and external finishes and an acknowledged industry leader in design and customer service.

KEY ISSUES FACED BY CLIENT: The biggest issue was creating the external space for the new Lab by clearing and preparing the site. The existing building needed removing, and the site levelled and prepared for a building with a larger footprint. The limited space available for the new bigger building required careful planning to lift the building into place and an experienced supplier to manage the logistics.

WHAT SPRINGFIELD DID: Paul Guy, (Springfields Business Development Manager), met with Simon Taylor (GB Lubricants Operations Manager) to identify the detailed requirements of the project and ensure every need was met and offer advice on the wide range of options and finishes available to deliver an impressive and welcoming space for their clients. Simon advised Paul that “Quality is a must” and with that proviso in mind together they designed the internal layout to accommodate – the laboratory, office space, entrance lobby, canteen, locker and changing facility and new upgraded WC facilities and provide a new Laboratory fit-for-purpose and perfect for their needs. Paul provided details of a nominated contractor to remove the building, clear the site and install foundation pads, utility connections and services to feed the new building. A further challenge was posed by the tight space available for the new larger building and how to crane the building into this limited space, this was overcome by utilising an experienced Springfield logistics partner who was able to use an oversized crane to lift the individual modules into place. The desire to provide an impressive, welcoming space for clients led to the building featuring a combination of different-sized windows to personalise the look of the building both inside and out and the use of vertical cedar cladding to provide an aesthetically pleasing exterior. The building was further enhanced with the use of LED lighting throughout and a number of upgrades such as internal glazed partitions to offer a real “Wow Factor”

SUMMARY & KEY BENEFITS: GB Lubricants now have a new front-of-house building absolutely fit-for-purpose that comprises an impressive laboratory, office space, entrance lobby, canteen, locker and changing facility and new upgraded WC facilities to provide a productive workspace for their Laboratory staff and a welcoming environment for their clients. The building has allowed the client to not only free up valuable space within the existing building but also to expand and upgrade the laboratory facility.