DLSITT1048 - Off-Site Storage Facility for DLS

Located on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, Diamond Light Source (DLS) is a leading-edge facility for science, engineering and innovation. Diamond allows researchers from academia and industry to investigate the structure and behaviour of the world around us at the atomic and molecular level.

To continue delivering the world changing science that Diamond enables, the facility is being upgraded to Diamond-II, a coordinated programme of development that combines a major machine upgrade with new instruments and complementary improvements to optics,detectors, sample environment and delivery capabilities, and computing, as well as integrated and correlative methods. This will be transformative in speed and spatial resolution and will offer users streamlined access to enhanced instruments for life and physical sciences.

The logistics model devised that underpins this programme mandates a suitable offsite storage facility to be secured for a period of three years starting sometime during 2025. This will serve as a cross-dock style operation with inbound material being checked, identified and prepared for despatch to the point of installation in the synchrotron and surrounding buildings in a timely fashion. The material consists of technical equipment delivered from around the world normally in wooden crates or pallets.

The requirement is for Warehouse space up to 3750 sq. metres, no less than 1350 sq. metres. This pace need not be contiguous and can be spread across up to five different sites.

There may also be a kitting process established. An estimated 20% of the footprint will be racking and shelving. The remaining open floor area will be used for marshalling the inbound inventory and setting out for inspection and despatch.