RSK and UK supermarket chain Sainsbury’s have been working together to develop stores and facilities for the past two decades. As part of the development of the Buntingford distribution depot, RSK undertook a programme of plate-loading tests to prove the ground was suitable for heavy warehouse floor loads. Buntingford was the beginning of a collaborative relationship between Sainsbury’s and RSK that has spanned 20 years.
Over the years, RSK has applied its expert range of services to as many as 40 store projects at a time, including flood risk, which is becoming an increasingly important planning and design component. Dedicated project managers ensure work is completed within budget and timescales and, of course, to the highest quality. Sainsbury’s corporate objectives set demanding timescales, and RSK works seamlessly with the wider development team to meet the target number of store openings per year. Over the years, RSK has provided asbestos management, air quality assessments, structural investigations and ecological advice on invasive species. RSK received praise from Sainsbury’s chief executive for its work as part of the professional team that secured a resolution to grant planning consent for a strategically important store in Hertford, UK.