Volkswagen Group operate a 650,000 sq ft distribution centre in Dordon, which handles the distribution of all spare parts requirements for the UK market. The facility is operated by Unipart Logistics, a key stakeholder in the project.

The Initial Issue

Volkswagen's warehouse Fire Alarm system was obsolete due to their Control & Indicating Equipment being 25 years old and discontinued, and, like many companies, experienced excessive false alarms and faults with their HSSD (High Sensitivity Smoke Detection) due to contaminated pipework with blocked holes.

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Due to the age of the control panels it was not possible to carry out reprogramming. The HSSD (High Sensitivity Smoke Detection) Smoke Detection systems were faulty spares could not be obtained.

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The Fixfire Solution

The project scope was a complete turnkey replacement of the site-wide Fire Alarm Systems, including the installation of self-testing Optical Smoke Imaging Detection and Fire Alarm management software.

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The site is an extremely busy 24 hour operation and whilst the design brief suggested a newly wired replacement system with HSSD (High Sensitivity Smoke Detection) we recognised that replacing cabling throughout the site and installing new high-level pipework at roof level in an operational facility would be very challenging. Furthermore, ongoing life-cycle maintenance of the systems would also be a very difficult and time-consuming.

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Fixfire delivered a solution which ticked all the boxes...

1. Identified that the existing cabling infrastructure was suitable for re-use.

2. Installed Remotest by Fixfire and OSID (Optical Imaging Smoke Detection). This combination massively reduced the impact of the installation on the clients operations and also transformed life-cycle maintenance costs by eliminating the need for MEWPs and the associated H&S issues and disturbance to operations.

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Project Challenges

During the upgrade, the client added another building to the scope, but essentially the attention to detail by Fixfire in the initial design meant the project was delivered to budget.

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The incumbent provider competed for the project but deep understanding of the clients challenges and innovative approach to deliver a cost-effective long term solution made Fixfire the obvious choice.

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The new technologies installed - especially Remotest self-testing with OSID smoke detection - mean that VW & Unipart can look forward to a low maintenance, low cost cutting edge Fire Alarm system to protect the building for many years.