“I wouldn’t trust anybody but Watkinson’s with a complicated project!” says one of our key clients – a market leader in the world of people movement.
This follows the successful completion of several projects undertaken for the client – the most notable recent ones being the installation of escalators and walkways at Heathrow Terminal 5 and ongoing work at Gatwick’s Interchange.
Usually the equipment is delivered by us, or clients’ own transport, to our specialist warehouse facility in Keighley where the units are stored, assembled and delivered to site for fitting by our experienced teams.
When you take account of the logistically massive issues when working at international airports in particular – not least accurate timing schedules and planning, airside passes, security and the presence of cranes and lifting equipment in close proximity to aircraft movements, landings and take-offs – you need a partner company alongside you for whom these specialisms are second nature.
“Watkinson’s is just such a partner” says our client.
The escalators were loaded and transported by Watkinson’s before being offloaded, craned into the location and fixed into pre-set mountings prior to the balustrades being built.
We work with established companies in this field including KONE, Otis, Stannah and others and although every installation brings its own challenges. We have won, and continue to win, contracts for shopping centre escalators and walkways from Inverness to Penzance – working with leading retailers which include Debenhams, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and ASDA.
The Watkinson’s team recently lifted five new escalators into the John Lewis store in London’s Oxford Street. Lifting them in via the roof, at night and from the tight confines of the capital’s side streets it was managed without a hitch largely due to the great care we take with logistics and necessary liaison with police and other authorities.
Three new side-by-side escalators were also installed just before Easter 2010 into the Dorothy Perkins store – again in Oxford Street – with a very demanding time-line and again without any problems.
Another client commented: -
“Some other companies talk a good job, but it’s the performance of the team on the ground that’s the key. Things don’t always go to plan on site, as everybody knows, but Watkinson’s take it all in their stride – very proactive, adaptable and flexible at all stages.
With Watkinson’s there are no battles of wits on site; we work to strict deadlines and there’s no way we can afford prima donnas…”
“We have never incurred any late penalties when working with Watkinson’s, and they’re not ‘opportunistic’ even when things are delayed through no fault of theirs!”