The team from Wanzl shopfitting UK experienced great success in Ireland. Going forward, top food chain Superquinn will count among Wanzl's customers. After Superquinn gained an initial idea of the comprehensive range of products and services available from Wanzl Shopfitting at EuroShop 2008, planners, architects and the Wanzl sales team met with the customer during a series of consultations and visits to Superquinn's stores. This intensive working relationship led to an equally welcome and successful result: four Superquinn stores – three in the area of Greater Dublin as well as a fourth in Waterford – were fitted out with innovative 'wire tech' shelves and displays from Wanzl.
For Clive Jury, Managing Director of Wanzl Shopfitting UK, Superquinn is a key premium client in Ireland. And the fact that the company selected Wanzl as its shopfitting partner is perfect proof of Wanzl Shopfitting's potential and range of ideas. "Together with our commercial agency in Ireland, Rocklyn Engineering, we were able to show the Superquinn team just how diverse our range of products and services is. Until then, our contacts at Superquinn were not aware of the variety of products and services that we offer. In retrospect, I'm not exaggerating when I say that the usual response to our suggestions is, 'I didn't realise you could do that!'"
Initial consultations were held after a roadshow organised by Wanzl took place in the Netherlands, North Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium, among other places. The co-workers in charge at Superquinn witnessed some of the most innovative store designs and display solutions in Europe.
"During these visits, Elke Kalvelage, Manager of the Wanzl Germany Shopfitting Planning Department, supported the British Wanzl team and provided brand new insight into Superquinn's requirements."
The effective store design by the Wanzl team attracted attention, as did the proposed wire tech display for wine and spirits. "Our installation teams have since been on site at four Superquinn locations - Knocklyon, Portlaoise and Blackrock in Greater Dublin and the Waterford supermarket in the south-east of Ireland, with the last store completed in March." For the Superquinn project, Wanzl used a wide range of wire tech gondolas with contoured wall solutions, among other things. The wire tech system is complemented by high quality wood plank effect flooring, colour adjusted spotlighting and downlighting as well as timber pelmet finishes.
Superquinn counts as one of the pioneers of modern self-service retail in Ireland and in this role, serves as an example for many of the key retail chains in the United Kingdom. As one of the first retailers, Superquinn was quick to implement innovative ideas even at an early stage, such as a delicatessen service counter and baking ovens right in the supermarket as well as making the shop-'n'-scan system acceptable. "Superquinn maintains over 20 supermarkets. In the meantime, the Wanzl 'wire tech' shopfitting system has proven itself in four of these stores to be a flexible, efficient solution for prestigious retailers. For us, that is a real step forward on the Irish retail market," summarises Clive Jury. "
