Delivering value beyond the kerbside

How Rexel UK managed a multi-floor, In-Situ Appliance Rollout for a Major Higher Education Framework

The Challenge: Overcoming Complex Multi-Floor Logistics

For large-scale student accommodation developments, sourcing hundreds of appliances from various manufactures is only half the battle. Coordinating multiple suppliers, handling the heavy lifting, unboxing, and distribution of hundreds of bulk appliances across multiple floors takes time, labour, and introduces a high risk of site damage or delays.

When a major higher education framework partner needed to equip an eight-story student accommodation facility, they required a single partner capable of both supplying the entire inventory and handling the complex internal site logistics.

The Rexel Solution: True Turnkey Service

What sets Rexel apart on projects of this scale is the strength of our national network working together with local expertise. The Inquiry was raised through Rexel's National Team, who worked closely with the customer’s central procurement lead to scope the full requirement. Our national team then partnered with a trusted white goods supplier to build a solution tailored to the project, before bringing in the local Rexel branch to deliver it on the ground. This combined approach meant that the customer benefited from national buying power and coordination, with the hands-on reliability of a local team who knew the site.

Managed seamlessly across this national and local partnership, we provided a complete, end-to-end procurement and delivery solution, completing the whole project in under six weeks. Rexel sourced, supplied, and safely delivered a total of 248 appliances, ensuring the contractor only had to deal with one point of contact.

Our team handled the complete, heavy-duty loadout, transporting and placing every single item directly into its final position within 50 individual student flats across eight floors:

· 86 Fridge Freezers (including large, American-style units)

· 85 Microwaves

· 66 Kettles

· 11 Dishwashers

To provide a genuinely pristine finish, Rexel didn’t stop at placement. The team managed full on-site rubbish removal, clearing away all the packaging materials and leaving the newly constructed flats immaculate and ready for handover.

Value Delivered

By leveraging Rexel’s “added services,” the framework contractor completely bypassed the internal site logistics.

· National reach, local delivery: the customer had one single point of contact, backed by the coordinated strength of Rexel’s national and local teams.

· Zero kerbside Bottlenecks: no heavy bulk drops blocking the site gate

· Reduced labour costs: the contractor’s on-site team stayed focused on construction and fit-out, rather than moving appliances.

· Sustainable Waste Management: all packaging and rubbish were cleared away seamlessly by our local branch team.

“Our goal on large-scale framework projects is always to go far beyond the standard kerbside delivery. By connecting our national team’s buying power and project design with the on-the-ground expertise of our local branch, we ensured all 248 appliances, right down to the kettles and large American-style fridge freezers, were safely placed directly into the flats. Taking care of the rubbish removal to leave a pristine space is just another way we add tangible value to our partner’s supply chains.” 

Kelly Halsall, National Business Development Manager