Reedbut, a manufacturer of bespoke cardboard packaging, recently relocated from three separate sites in the south of England to a single new facility in Milton Keynes, in a move designed to improve efficiency and reduce the cost of running multiple premises.

Having worked with Reedbut in the past on smaller projects and earned the team’s trust, Woodward Group was delighted to have been appointed to deliver the complete electrical and mechanical infrastructure required for the transition.

Site requirements

The new building, Cube 94, is a 100m x 100m x 15m open production space, intended to house high-traffic manufacturing lines with machines of varying sizes and requirements. Our role was to design and install a system that would deliver power, controls, air and water across the floor, while allowing Reedbut to maintain production during the relocation.

Technical approach

To achieve this, we installed a suspended high-level busbar system supported by trapeze hangers, providing flexible distribution of electrical, mechanical and control services. We also supplied and installed new sub-main systems, including LV panel boards, distribution boards and busbar, giving the site an additional 2,730 amps of capacity. From this, we developed tailored drops for each machine using Unistrut frames and drag chain cable containment to carry power, control cabling, compressed air and water to their exact points of use.

The relocation also required the transfer of waste extraction systems. Existing fan panels were removed, documented, modified where necessary, and installed at Cube 94 to align with a pre-installed wiring system. Each was tested and commissioned to ensure the machines were ready to run as soon as they were reinstalled.

A major challenge was the tight programme. With Reedbut maintaining production throughout, machinery had to be disconnected, relocated, connected and recommissioned within shutdown windows of between one and four days. This demanded detailed planning and close coordination with the client and other contractors. 

The results

In total, we installed more than 70 new electrical items ranging from 16amp to 630amp, and built a new waste control panel that allowed both the old and new sites to run simultaneously during the transition. The project was delivered as a CDM-notifiable job.

Reedbut now operates from one consolidated site with the capacity to grow. The infrastructure installed at Cube 94 has given them a robust and adaptable platform for its production. We continue to support the team with ongoing upgrades, including control panel improvements.