Overview
The Thermatic Project Team supports B&M’s rapid retail expansion as the sole provider of air conditioning and HVAC systems for new store developments. By implementing standardised pricing and upgrading system designs, our team has delivered high-quality, end-to-end climate solutions across more than 300 projects since January 2023, ensuring stores open on time with optimal energy efficiency.
Background
B&M is one of the fastest-growing retail brands in the UK. With an estate of over 900 stores, the company needs a highly dependable infrastructure to support its massive daily footfall. Ensuring a comfortable environment for shoppers and staff is crucial to its success.
Since 2023, the Thermatic Project Team has partnered with B&M as the sole provider of air conditioning and HVAC equipment for all new store developments. We operate a highly collaborative, multi-disciplinary team of 15 (and growing), structured specifically to deliver end-to-end HVAC solutions efficiently at scale.
Our core vision is to deliver high-quality, efficient climate solutions that directly support B&M’s rapid retail expansion. Our team handles everything from initial surveys and quotations to on-site execution and ongoing maintenance. Thanks to a strong culture of technical expertise and personal partnership, we ensure that B&M scales confidently. Our dedicated engineers act as brand ambassadors on the ground, working closely with project managers and an in-house design team to respond quickly to real-time construction challenges.
The Challenge
Rapid retail expansion brings a unique set of logistical and operational hurdles. B&M’s aggressive growth strategy means they need busy, high-footfall stores to be equipped with reliable, energy-efficient climate systems. Crucially, we deliver these systems within extremely tight construction programs.
During new store developments, multiple contractors operate simultaneously on-site. We manage installations with precision timing to avoid costly delays and maintain the overall programme momentum. Additionally, as the volume of projects increases, our team faces the challenge of maintaining quality control while efficiently scaling operations.
Pricing consistency also presented a significant opportunity for improvement. Historically, quotation processes relied on ad hoc pricing models. This approach often slowed down the initial stages of a project, taking up to five working days to finalise quotes.
There was also a pressing need to improve system sustainability and lifecycle management. B&M needed climate control solutions that met immediate operational needs while also reducing long-term servicing costs and energy consumption. We needed to rethink the system design to minimise the number of assets per store while maximising cooling and heating capacity.
The Solution
To address these challenges, we restructured our approach to prioritise agility, transparency, and technical excellence. We introduced a comprehensive Schedule of Rates to standardise pricing across all projects. This move immediately provided cost transparency and commercial consistency for both Thermatic and B&M.
Operationally, we focused on recruiting experts and aligned our leadership to strengthen our core team structure. We introduced a new CAFM system, Joblogic, to streamline operations. This technology gave our project managers real-time visibility into project status, reduced admin, and enabled faster, data-driven decisions.
We also optimised our resource allocation. By assigning our engineering teams by region, we significantly reduced travel time and improved overall productivity. Our support coordinators manage procurement and logistics flawlessly to ensure smooth project delivery.
From a design perspective, our in-house engineering team updated the HVAC design guidelines to improve efficiency. This allows us to design simpler systems that meet the exact comfort standards required for large retail spaces, while streamlining the installation process to fit alongside other on-site contractors.
The Results
The strategic changes implemented by the Thermatic Project Team have delivered exceptional, measurable outcomes since January 2023. We successfully supported over 300 projects, including more than 100 brand-new store developments, demonstrating our ability to scale efficiently alongside B&M’s growth.
The introduction of the Schedule of Rates transformed our commercial efficiency. We reduced our quotation turnaround time from five working days to just one day, an impressive 80% improvement in response time. Our enhanced processes and strict quality control measures have also significantly reduced installation recalls and snagging issues, boosting client confidence.
Our service delivery remains consistently reliable. We routinely achieve on-time mobilisation, even when projects are issued with just one or two days' notice.
The shift to larger-capacity HVAC units generated massive sustainability and cost benefits. By reducing the total number of units per store by up to 80%, we delivered a 20% to 30% reduction in annual servicing and maintenance costs for the client. The simplified system design means fewer assets to maintain and optimised energy performance. Ultimately, we provide B&M with a scalable, highly efficient infrastructure model that perfectly supports their growth.
