Selfridges (Selfridges & Co.) is a premium chain of department stores based across the United Kingdom. The business was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1908, and the Manchester Trafford Centre store was opened in 1998.
The stores stock a huge range of luxury designer clothing and accessories, together with beauty products, technology and even toys.
One of Selfridges Key Manchester Stores is located in the Trafford Centre.
The Impressive Facade of Selfridges Within the Trafford Centre.
Selfridges stocks an immense number of different items across its stores, from Clothing, to Perfumes to Toys. Each department, and even brands need their own separate storage areas. When it came to the development of its store within the Manchester Trafford Centre the Selfridges teams identified storage areas back of house for the stock, but required them to be optimised to house products based on these individual store areas and product groups.
With high value items, the isolation of these provides security and reduces shrinkage, with only authorised teams and individuals able to access their own product groups. With limited space behind the scenes, it was also imperative that these areas were fitted out to hold as much stock as possible, while retaining the ability to quickly access items as required.
It was clear that a single solution was not going to suffice, nor was the installation of a huge amount of regular static shelving. Rackline were contacted to bring their storage expertise into these stock areas.
When it came to Selfridges, there were multiple solutions identified, these mixed Rackline’s ranges with bespoke manufactured items to both maximise the space, keep items safe and secure, and also retain ease of access.
To keep items secured, Rackline suggest the manufacture of mesh cages, each designed to fit the allocated space. These were to be built with their own doors and coded handles. This would ensure that unauthorised personnel, or individuals from outside the business could not gain access to the stock areas.
Within smaller areas Rackline Roller Racking/Mobile Shelving was used to maximise the space, providing up to 70% more than standard static shelving solutions. These were combined with a selection of single and double skin shelves and accessories to flex the storage to the needs of the goods being stored. For example; some of the racking contained shelving for boxes, while others contained clothes rails for the neat storage of clothing. These accessories and configurations can of course be re-configured as stock needs change.
Many units were manufactured with mesh backs and tops, this was to ensure that within confined spaces, with flammable goods, sprinklers would still be effective in case of fire.
The Handbag Department Within Selfridges
With Often High Value Handbags, Secure
Storage is Paramount
Rackline Roller Racking Provides
High Density Storage
Rackline Custom Manufactured Cages, to Fit The Space, Each with a Coded Door Lock
Custom Built Cages Combined with Roller Racking to Provide Secure and High Density Storage
The Shoe Departments Contain Literally Thousands of Combinations
With Shoes of Different Sizes, Styles and Models, Rackline installed both Mobile and Static Options.
Both Single and Double Skin Shelving Options Were used Depending Upon Weight.
Just One Of The Many Clothing Departments Within the Store
Selfridges Stocks Numerous Designer,
and Premium Brands
Adaptions to the Mobile Units, Ensure That Each Item is Stored Perfectly
Clothing is Stored, on Both Mobile and Static Shelving Depending Upon the Space Restrictions.
The Largest Storage Area Contains Items Ranging from Clothes to Toys.
Strong Multitrak Shelving is Ready for Anything They Want to Store.
The shelving, racking and bespoke solutions installed by Rackline have supported Selfridges in the creation of high density, efficient and secure storage areas. With their advanced features, stock is now safe, while also being simple to access and retrieve for customers.
Mr David Moreland, Facilities Manager at Selfridges, commented “Rackline are our preferred racking suppliers, experts in delivering bespoke stockroom storage systems which maximise our capacity, are finished to a high standard and meet the brief.”
See our roller racking in use within Selfridges:
To find out more about Rackline’s collection of Storage for Retail, including Mobile Shelving, Compact High Density Static Shelving and Archive Shelving get in touch. Equally if you are looking to launch a project that will need consultancy and bespoke manufacturing contact us.
