Customer: Boston Scientific

Location: Galway

Requirement:
Boston Scientific is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of innovative medical devices, technologies and services that provide alternatives to major surgery. Continued growth at its large plant in Galway, Ireland, combined with the introduction of new product areas, meant that an additional 200 administrative workstations were needed for the site's expanding workforce. To house these workstations, 12,500 sq ft of new office space was needed.

Solution:
Facilities Project Leader at Boston Scientific Galway, Tim Pickering, says: “We considered a range of options, including hiring office space at a nearby business park. We also approached Portakabin Allspace, who we had built up a good relationship with in the past.

“The solution we chose was to hire a modular building from Portakabin Allspace, since this offered the high construction specifications we were looking for, combined with durability and flexibility. Most importantly of all, Portakabin Allspace could ensure rapid delivery of the building, which was critical for this project.”

Boston Scientific hired 32 high-quality Portakabin Ultima modules to create a large two-storey office complex at the heart of its Galway site. The complex includes toilet facilities on both floors and two sets of stairs. There are also high and low-level links to the neighbouring building on site, which enable occupants to access the existing lifts.

Portakabin Allspace specialists worked closely with Boston Scientific and with the civil, electrical and mechanical engineers involved in the project to ensure a smooth and well coordinated delivery and installation programme.

The civil contractors prepared the site two weeks in advance of the building delivery, creating raised foundation pads and beams above the extensive underground services in this congested area of the site. Allspace then delivered and installed the modules over a three-day period, without disrupting traffic or the day-to-day working of the plant.

Tim Pickering continues: “This was a best-in-class example of how to run a project, and it was executed seamlessly by Portakabin Allspace. All parties worked very well together to discuss and plan the installation, which ensured everyone was working towards a common goal. In the end, the project was delivered in record time – if someone had told me beforehand that we could get the whole complex in place in just six weeks, I wouldn't have believed them.

“We are exceptionally happy with the response from people working in the buildings. I've even had occupants coming to thank me for them, which is very rare. A person's working space is very important – they spend eight hours a day there and they need to feel comfortable in their surroundings, so we are delighted with the quality of the building supplied by Portakabin Allspace.”