Wickes Stores Distribution Centre: Shedding Light on Modern Solutions

From Dark Spots to Bright Results

The Wickes Stores Distribution Centre, a crucial operational hub, faced a significant challenge with its outdated lighting. The facility's high ceilings and old T5 panels resulted in poor illumination, creating numerous dark spots that posed safety risks to employees and made navigation difficult for forklift drivers.

Beyond these immediate safety concerns, Wickes was committed to enhancing its sustainability efforts. The company recognised that an inefficient lighting system was a major drain on energy, hindering its goal to reduce its carbon footprint. The challenge was to find a partner who could provide a comprehensive solution that would improve safety and visibility while also delivering substantial energy savings to support the company’s broader environmental goals.

Bespoke Engineering and Intelligent Controls

LumenStream was brought in to provide a comprehensive, bespoke solution. Our team first conducted a detailed assessment of the facility to understand its unique requirements, particularly the need to effectively illuminate long warehouse aisles with high ceilings. To address this, we bespoke-manufactured luminaires with an acute beam angle. This specialised design concentrated light precisely where it was needed, successfully increasing lux levels to over 300 lux with high uniformity—well above UK standards for logistics environments.

To meet Wickes’ energy efficiency goals, we installed a long-range microwave sensor on every single luminaire. This innovative approach provided individual control over the lighting in each aisle, a significant improvement over the previous inefficient system which used a single sensor for multiple aisles. The long-range sensors (with a 20-meter range) allowed lights to dim or turn off when an aisle was empty and instantly brighten when an employee or forklift entered. This ‘switchless’ functionality maximised energy savings without compromising safety or productivity. LumenStream's turnkey service was key to the project's success. We managed everything from the initial design to manufacturing, installation, and recycling, with all work scheduled over weekends and outside regular hours to ensure zero downtime for Wickes’ daily operations.

Enhanced Safety, Efficiency, and Confidence

The transformation at Wickes SDC was immediate and significant. The new lighting system replaced 750 old lights with energy-efficient LEDs, improving visibility and creating a much safer working environment. The elimination of dark spots and the increased lighting uniformity were noted by the entire team, from drivers to pickers, who reported a massive difference in light quality.

From a sustainability standpoint, the results were equally impressive. The intelligent control system and LED technology resulted in an annual saving of 491 MWh. This dramatic reduction in energy consumption not only led to significant cost savings but also directly contributed to Wickes’ environmental policy and efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. The project is a powerful example of how strategic investments in modern technology can deliver on both operational and environmental goals.

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"There was no too small request. Daily comms, daily meetings within the project—based on this project, yes, I would recommend LumenStream."