Distribution hub — warehouse fibre & Cat6A network

The challenge

A main contractor needed a cabling subcontractor for a new distribution hub on the Manchester logistics corridor. The building combined high-bay storage, pick-face zones and a two-storey office block — all requiring resilient connectivity for warehouse management systems (WMS), handheld scanners and wireless coverage before the tenant’s automation equipment arrived.

The programme allowed a narrow window between containment completion and racking installation. Links had to be certified and documented before the client’s IT team commissioned switches and access points.

Programme & mobilisation

We joined at detailed design and aligned routes with the M&E contractor’s containment package:

• Weeks 1–2 — OS2 backbone pull between main comms room, mezzanine IDF and dock office suite
• Weeks 3–5 — Cat6A horizontal cabling to pick stations, charging points and office areas
• Weeks 6–7 — Termination, fusion splicing, testing and as-built documentation
• Week 8 — Joint walkdown with main contractor and client’s IT partner before racking phase

Work was sequenced to stay clear of forklift routes and overhead crane zones. All site teams held standard logistics-site inductions and PPE compliance.

Technical scope

• OS2 single-mode backbone — 1.4 km between three communications points
• Cat6A horizontal cabling — 620 outlets to WMS positions, AP locations and office desks
• Fusion splicing — all backbone pairs with recorded loss values
• Containment — basket tray coordinated with fire-stopping at slab penetrations
• Testing — OTDR on all fibre pairs; Fluke DSX certification on every copper link

Standards & handover

Fibre was tested to the consultant’s OTDR and insertion-loss thresholds. Copper links were certified to ISO/IEC 11801. The handover pack included:

• OTDR traces per fibre pair
• Fluke certification PDFs aligned to outlet schedules
• As-built drawings with IDF and comms room layouts
• Patch schedules for backbone and horizontal distribution

Outcome

All links passed first time. The main contractor released the cabling scope five days before the sectional completion milestone. The client’s IT partner commissioned WMS and wireless infrastructure without cabling-related delays.

Representative of our fibre optic and structured data cabling work across Manchester and the North West logistics corridor.

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Client identity withheld under NDA. Sector, scale and outcomes are representative of work delivered. References available on request.