Client: Zünd UK
Location: South East
Size: 40,000 sq.ft
Duration: 6 months

Cat A Strip Out & Re-fit for Zund

Zund enlisted our help to relocate their office from St Albans to Letchworth due to their rapid growth in the UK. Their new home required a full Cat A strip out and refit to meet regulations.

Watch our video and read about how we helped Zund overcome challenges and create a stunning office space.

• watch our video • watch our video

The Challenge

In early 2023, we were invited to assist Zund with their office relocation from St Albans to Letchworth. Zund’s rapid growth in the UK meant they had to seek out a much larger facility to accommodate their technical advances in the making and selling of large-scale cutting machines for a multitude of business sectors and uses.

Monroe House in Works Road, Letchworth, seemed to be the ideal solution for Zund; access was good and the mix of large production spaces combined with ample office areas meant that Zund’s operational needs could be accommodated. The building was previously occupied by Xerox, which sat empty for a few years. Needless to say, a full Cat A strip out and re-fit was required to ensure compliance with today’s regulations.

modern minimalist kitchen area in grey and white with stools at the kitchen and tables in the background with large windows
modern grey and white minimalist kitchen with barstools and tables in the background with large windows
dining area with four tables large windows and a checkerboard wall with a virginia woolf quote written on it

The Solution

After being invited to produce some test-fits for the space, and presenting full plans, designs, schedules, programs and costs, Zund decided to instruct us, and indeed trust us in the delivery of their new UK premises.

With everything geared up for a July build, less than two weeks before Oaktree took temporary ownership of the property, Monroe House was visited by unauthorised personnel, criminals, who tried to remove any valuable metals, copper, aluminium, cables etc. In doing so, they disturbed the incoming mains and caused it to burst. The ‘visitors panicked and ran’. Unfortunately the building’s incoming water mains, in the Plant room, had now burst and was flooding the premises for what we believe to be approximately 7 days, with no one aware of what was happening.

During an ad-hoc pre-start survey visit, we were greeted with cascades of water running down the stairs and filling the ground floor. It was horrendous and deeply upsetting for Zund.

We quickly mobilised and took charge of the situation. Having done so, and as a consequence of the devastating damage, we now had to completely remove all walls/partitions, specifically in and around the central core/WC areas. This provided us with the opportunity to re-design the layout of said areas, so that we could deliver Zund with two very large meeting rooms, divided by a sliding – folding acoustic wall which will enable them to have much larger training areas and ‘town hall’ meetings.

modern grey and white kitchen with barstools and hanging lights with a fruit bowl on the counter
white walled sitting area in an offie with red chairs a grey sofa and large windows
office sitting area with art of trees seen from above on the left wall and grey plush sofas and flowers on the coffee table
modern office sitting area with flowers large windows and red soft backed chairs and grey sofas

What Oaktree Delivered

Download PDF Version

We initially stripped the building back to ‘shell & core’, prior to new HVAC and M&E systems being installed. The large surface areas of the various roofs offered up the opportunity to design & install Photo-Voltaic (solar panels) so that Zund could benefit from much reduced electricity bills in the future! We also fitted-out other internal elements, such as suspended ceilings, new LED lighting systems, Paxton 10 access control, bespoke partition features, flooring, decorating, fire-alarm systems, and more.

Externally, we changed the appearance of the old building ‘Monroe House’ from blue and white, to predominantly grey, with accents of red and yellow (Zund’s global brand). ‘Acuta House’ was born. New access-controlled security gates, extended car-park areas, EVC charging, and a new staff terrace all added to the new look & feel of the space.

After 6 months of hard, and sometimes unexpected work, we achieved our Practical Completion Date set for the 23rd February 2024 – despite the late flood changes and additional works!

open plan office with grey carpet, sculptured in the centre of the room and sofas in the background
office space with machinery on the right and sculptures and product examples in the centre of the room with sofas in the background
white and black modernised work space with machinery around the room with white support columns
white and black modern work space with machinery to the left and right with white lights and support columns
office waiting area with example products on display in the centre with a grey sofa in the background and machinery to the right
grey sofa sitting area in an S curve shape with coffee machine to the right
office space displaying example products with an enclosed area filled with machinery behind glass walls
white office space with large table and chairs with words on the walls and a variety of clocks showing different time zones
office patio with blue and red chairs and tables with cloudy blue sky and light fixtures
office table with grey chairs and computer desks in the background with hanging grey lights and positive words written on the walls
An office breakout area in an Oxfordshire office with four armchairs around a table and a light above them.
office meeting room with tv on the wall with red and yellow chairs and plants near the window
office meeting room with yellow and red chairs with a tv on the wall with large windows and blinds
ZUND swiss cutting systems front entrance with cloudy sky above and yellow entranc edoors
ZUND swiss cutting systems front entrance with cloudy sky above and yellow entranc edoors
car park with multiple cars parked with cloudy skies and modern squared off grey building with large windows and second floor patio
metal chairs and tables outside at a patio with a cigarette bin surrounded by trees and plants
second floor balcony patio area with glass roofing and glass railing
office sitting area with example products to the right with glass wall separating machining area to the left
grey s shaped sofa with red and yellow pillows with a coffee machine to the right and product examples to the left
modern minimalist bathroom with grey doors and white and grey walls
before and after photo of the outside office of ZUND with a new grey and red paint job

What Our Client Said

We entrusted Oaktree with the fit-out of our new offices in Letchworth, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. Their professionalism was evident throughout the project, ensuring that every aspect of the design aligned perfectly with our requirements. They consistently offered innovative solutions, going above and beyond our expectations.

Their team demonstrated remarkable efficiency, promptly addressing any challenges that arose and ensuring swift turnarounds when needed. Perry, our Project Manager, played a pivotal role in the project’s success. His unwavering attention to detail and proactive approach ensured seamless execution, keeping us on track with our timelines.

Thanks to Oaktree’s dedication, we moved into our stunning new offices in February (24’) and our team couldn’t be happier with the result. We wholeheartedly recommend Oaktree and look forward to collaborating with them on future projects.

Nicky Kay
Managing Director

Working with you...

JEOL

  • South East
  • 4,606 sq.ft
  • 12 weeks
View Case Study

Stonebridge Corporate

  • South East
  • 5,600 sq.ft
  • 8 Weeks
View Case Study

GCT

  • South East
  • 4,300 sq.ft
  • 6 Weeks
View Case Study

Zünd UK

  • South East
  • 40,000 sq.ft
  • 6 months
View Case Study

Brogan Group

  • South East
  • 13,000 sq.ft
  • 16 Weeks
View Case Study

Mastek

  • South East
  • 5,000 sq.ft
  • 8 Weeks
View Case Study
Back To Top
hello@oaktreeoffice.com