TheProject
DHL's Reading Distribution Hub is a high-bay, 24/7 logistics and parcel sorting facility in Reading, Berkshire. Nexgen delivered the full Cat B electrical fit-out — an 800A TPN main distribution board to Schneider Electric specification, 3-phase conveyor sorter power, dock leveller supplies, LED high-bay lighting, and a complete EICR and EIC certification package — inside a 14-week programme alongside Woodhouse as principal contractor, in a live operational environment where DHL's go-live date was fixed and non-negotiable.
Live Operation Delivery
Delivering a full Cat B electrical fit-out inside a 24/7 active distribution centre required planned shutdown windows and temporary supply arrangements — no unplanned operational stoppages occurred.
800A TPN Distribution
Nexgen specified and installed an 800A TPN main distribution board to Schneider Electric manufacturer specification, carrying a manufacturer guarantee and full type-test compliance.
Programme Management
A fixed go-live date was the real driver. Pre-construction planning, a phased installation sequence, and close coordination with Woodhouse as principal contractor kept the programme on schedule.
Full Certification Handover
A complete EICR and Electrical Installation Certificate issued at handover confirmed BS 7671 compliance — enabling DHL's operational go-live on schedule with no post-handover remedials.
Challenges
Live 24/7 Operation
Challenge
DHL operates continuous distribution shifts. Any electrical work creating unplanned operational disruption would have immediate cost consequences for the client.
Solution
Planned every shutdown window in advance with DHL operations. Temporary supply arrangements maintained power to critical areas. No unplanned operational stoppages occurred.
Fixed Go-Live Date
Challenge
DHL's operational go-live was fixed. A delayed electrical programme would have cascaded into a delayed building handover and direct commercial loss for DHL.
Solution
Programme-managed the installation sequence against the critical path. Regular progress reviews with Woodhouse. Commissioning and EICR completed ahead of handover milestone.
Multi-Trade Coordination
Challenge
The facility fit-out involved multiple trades working in a constrained space and programme. Electrical installation had to be sequenced with civils, mechanical, and fit-out teams without conflict.
Solution
Early engagement with the principal contractor at pre-construction stage. Clear demarcation of working zones and sequenced handover of areas. No programme-critical delays attributable to trade coordination.
Scope of Works
- 01800A TPN main LV distribution board (Schneider Electric specification and build)
- 023-phase conveyor sorter power infrastructure throughout the facility
- 03Dock leveller electrical supplies — full dock count
- 04LED high-bay warehouse lighting complete installation
- 05Small power and general services distribution
- 06Site-wide cable containment — trunking and tray systems
- 07Full EICR and EIC certification package at handover
Technical Specifications
Main Distribution
- Board Rating
- 800A TPN
- Manufacturer
- Schneider Electric
- Build Standard
- Manufacturer specification
- Protection
- MCCB main incomer, MCCB sub-ways
Programme
- Duration
- 14 weeks
- Principal Contractor
- Woodhouse
- Certification
- EICR + EIC at handover
- Incidents
- Zero programme-critical
Outcomes
Programme completed on schedule within 14-week window — DHL go-live achieved without delay
Zero programme-critical incidents across the full installation programme
800A TPN main distribution board installed and commissioned to Schneider Electric specification
Full EICR and Electrical Installation Certificate issued at handover — facility ready for occupation
DHL operational from day one of go-live — no post-handover remedials attributable to electrical works
Key Takeaways
- 01LV infrastructure in a live logistics facility requires phased planning before a single cable is pulled — shutdown windows cannot be improvised on site
- 02An 800A TPN board is not a commodity purchase — specifying it to manufacturer standards with an accredited installer means it carries a manufacturer guarantee and full type-test compliance
- 03A fixed go-live date is the real programme driver in tenant fit-out work. Electrical contractors who understand critical path management deliver differently from those who don't
- 04Working alongside a principal contractor on a complex multi-trade programme requires early engagement, clear zone demarcation, and direct communication — not just responding to instructions
- 05Full certification at handover is not a box-tick — it is the legal document that confirms the installation is safe, compliant with BS 7671, and the client's asset
What This Demonstrates
Projects like DHL Reading are the benchmark for what Cat B electrical fit-out looks like at the commercial end of the logistics and distribution sector. Delivering this scope — an 800A TPN board to manufacturer specification, 3-phase conveyor infrastructure, dock levellers, high-bay lighting, and full containment — requires a contractor with the LV engineering capability to design and build the distribution infrastructure correctly, the Schneider Electric accreditation to back the installed equipment with a manufacturer guarantee, and the programme management discipline to bring it all together inside a fixed window. Logistics and warehousing facilities increasingly sit at the intersection of all three demands simultaneously.
What the DHL project demonstrates specifically about Nexgen's approach is the emphasis on pre-construction engagement over reactive problem-solving. The phased installation sequence — maintaining supply to active operational areas throughout, coordinating shutdown windows with DHL's operations management, sequencing electrical work around other trades under Woodhouse's principal contract — was planned before work started, not improvised when conflicts arose. The certification package issued at handover was the result of a commissioning process that ran in parallel with the installation programme, not a last-minute task bolted onto the end of the job.
For property managers, developers, and principal contractors procuring electrical work on similar facilities, the questions worth asking are straightforward: Can the contractor demonstrate experience at this scale, in live operational environments, not just shell-and-core fit-outs? Are they manufacturer-accredited for the specified distribution equipment — and can they show you the accreditation rather than simply claiming it? Do they have a track record of on-programme delivery in projects where the go-live date carried real commercial weight? This project is Nexgen's answer to those questions.
