client news
Workplace fit-out -
getting to the roots
One of the Sunday Times 2007 and 2008 100 Best Companies to Work For,
business improvement company Grass Roots UK Ltd has specified desking and
seating from the VERCO Office Furniture range for its third UK office
development.
In a total fit-out, Grass Roots specified VERCO's Visual beam desking and
personal storage together with Profile task chairs and Roma tub chairs to
reception and break-out areas.
Fast-expanding Grass Roots
offers a range of business services in communication, education,
performance measurement, reward services and event management in 14
countries.
The company helps clients such as BMW, Target Group, Virgin Mobile, BT,
Nikkon achieve business goals by designing and delivering programmes that
engage employees, customers and partners via a spread of activities
spanning motivation, incentives and distance learning to conferencing,
product launches and mystery shopping.
Demand is strong. The company's turnover was up 64 per cent to £237.3
million last year with pre-tax profits increased by 50.7 per cent to £8.3
million and steady business acquisition complemented by new venture
launches in the USA and India.
Grass Roots' new Research and Development Centre in nearby Wendover is
the company's engine room'.
It is home to customer strategy, measurement services, research
operations and IT development teams, totalling some 120 people, 40 of
whom alone work in research operations accessing the company's 40,000
plus mystery shopper' panel.
Although over the county boundary and into Buckinghamshire, Wendover is
just a few miles from the Company's headquarters in Tring - so the effect
on employees who have moved to the new office has been minimal.
Rik Burrage, managing
director of Grass Roots in the UK, says: "Like many growing companies, we
were simply running out of space in our two Tring offices.
"The outcome is that everyone now has more room and greater proximity to
the people with whom they work most often. From a client perspective,
this arrangement puts our technical expertise into one leading edge
facility with plenty of meeting space."
The offices on Triangle Business Park occupy two floors of a large
building shared with Internet service provider Pipex/Nildram.
Spacious open plan work areas with breakout areas and a prayer room
surround a support services core housing, kitchens, toilets and lift and
stairs.
FM Melanie Elliott sought furnishings solutions that complemented the
light, linear nature of the interior architecture whilst providing the
high level of flexibility and support for the majority users tasked with
systems development and support and measurement roles.
"We looked at a number of ranges from a spread of suppliers and selected
VERCO furniture for quality control, design appeal and reliable supply
chain," she says. "The installation has gone smoothly with everyone happy
with their furniture."
First introduced in summer
2000, Visual marked VERCO's move into the mainstream furniture systems
market and has been one of its most successful introductions in recent
years.
The beam desking offer constitutes a wire-managed three-piece beam frame
that slots together without the need for any tools and is fully
adjustable.
A wide range of design components including wave and rectangular desks,
various workstation options, pedestals and low storage units as well as
departmental storage, and meeting tables.
With its fresh, striking
looks in maple, light oak and beech melamine finishes, Visual provides a
natural solution for modern business environments calling for
adaptability and ease of use from their furniture.
Grass Roots staff also use VERCO Profile task chairs, with posture seats,
choice of under-seat mechanisms and pelvic rotational control providing
high-specification support to maintain requisite comfort for longer
periods.
Available with black or polished frames, Profile task chairs are
complemented by a full family of visitor chairs, including cantilever,
four-legged and mobile options, also ideally suited to conference use.
Visitors and staff alike relax in Roma tub chairs at Grass Roots in
Wendover.
This pleasingly retro tub chair couples traditional construction values
to elegant contoured upholstery and shaped back and comes with matching
two- and three-seat settees. Personal space is maintained even whilst
sharing the larger units by means of a serpentine back.
Optional castors, writing tablet and under-seat shelf help make Roma
ideal for reception, training and break out areas such as at Triangle
Business Park.
Grass Roots continue to expand and an acquisition in China is expected
this Spring (2008).
www.grassroots.uk.com
www.verco.co.uk
ends
Issued March 2008 by
petermuir public relations
Whiteleaf Business Centre, Buckingham Industrial Park, Buckingham MK18
1TF, UK
tel 00 44 (0) 1296 715228 fax 00 44 (0)1296 715486
www.pmpr.info
ends
Editor Note:
Founded by the Vere family
in 1912, and in family ownership to this day, VERCO Office Furniture is
one of the UK's best-known workplace furniture providers. The company
operates from a wholly-owned 440,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in High
Wycombe, where it makes a wide range of seating, desking and storage
designs for all types of modern workplace environment.
Move information at
www.pmpr.co.uk/verco.htm
and www.verco.co.uk
