We were asked by Bupa to manufacture, deliver, and install four hundred and fifty highly specialised chairs across two hundred and ninety individual care homes located throughout the UK.
There were two main aspects to this order which set it apart from a lot of others. One was the number of units that were to be delivered - 450 individual Multi Flex Porter chairs – and the other was the fact that Bupa needed them to be delivered and installed into two hundred and ninety individual care homes.
450 chairs across 250 separate care homes.
On top of this, the care homes in question were located across the length and breadth of the UK, stretching from Paisley to Bexhill on Sea. This was clearly a manufacturing and logistical challenge, and one which was compounded by the fact that the order was placed in November and had to be completely fulfilled by the end of January!
Delivering specialist chairs in 2 to 4 weeks
This meant the period we would be completing the order was right across the annual Christmas shutdown, which in turn meant that sourcing the components vital to manufacturing the chairs was significantly more challenging than it would normally be. Nonetheless, we’re used to delivering individual specialist chairs in as little as 2 to 4 weeks and knew that we could have the chairs in question where they were needed, exactly when they needed to be there – guaranteed!
About The Chair
The Multi Flex Porter chair has a range of specialist features which include pressure management seat cushions and leg support blocks. The fact that the seat and seat back cushions are interchangeable and can be removed at any time greatly enhances both the longevity and flexibility of the Multi Flex Porter, which also has independent back rest recline and seat angle and depth adjustment.
Specialised fabrics with anti-microbial properties
All of this adds up to a chair that matches comfort with practicality and pressure management. In addition to these features the four hundred and fifty chairs in question were ordered in 3 colours and were also covered in Panaz Shield Plus™ fabric, which uses anti-bacterial technology in order to destroy bacteria, fungi and viruses, up to and including Coronavirus, where settings such as care homes have to work hard to cope with.
Manufacture
Well established and trusted supply chain
When the order was placed, the suppliers that would be used for the components needed to manufacture the chairs were winding down in preparation for the Christmas period.
Despite this we managed to make use of our extensive and well-established supply chain that is made up of partners with whom we have worked for many years, and sourced everything needed to get the four hundred and fifty chairs manufactured in record time.
This would have meant nothing, of course, if we hadn’t then been able to deliver those chairs to the two hundred and ninety care home where they were needed.
Delivery & Installation
Because we value both our customers and the integrity of the items we manufacture, we have all our chairs delivered by our in-house logistics team.
On delivery day, the care home in question would be phoned with an update to let them know when the driver was just an hour away. Upon arrival, our team would carry the chairs into the chosen rooms, remove all packaging, fully install, test and then run through the details of maintenance and correct usage with either the manager of the care home or members of their maintenance team.
In-house logistics team to the rescue...
Finally, our team would remove any packaging and waste from site, leaving nothing but a correctly installed and functioning Multi Flex Porter chair ready and waiting for a resident to make use of.
UK wide distribution no matter what the weather
Despite the long distances involved, and the fact that many deliveries took place against the backdrop of exceptionally poor weather conditions, all four hundred and fifty chairs were delivered on time just ten weeks after the order was placed.
Being able to meet such a large order at such a potentially difficult time of the year is something of which every member of the Repose team is extremely proud.