Steel ideal for new south west IKEA store

Caunton Engineering is fabricating, supplying and erecting the structural steelwork for a new IKEA store in Exeter.

Working on behalf of McLaughlin and Harvey, Caunton is erecting nearly 2,300t of structural steelwork for the new Devon store.

The overall works include the main store with a car park, restaurant, and a crèche. The steelwork for the structural framing comprises six spans of latticed trusses, creating a total width for the building of 120m.

Length wise, the building measures 160m with the columns set out on an 8m grid pattern.

Work started on site this spring and IKEA expects it to be completed in the early summer of 2018.

Prior to the construction work beginning, the 116,000m² plot of land was thoroughly excavated for signs of Bronze Age and Iron Age settlements by Cotswold Archaeology.

IKEA claims to be the world’s largest furniture retailer and has 340 stores in 28 countries. The company’s HQ is now in the Netherlands.

Caunton said it has a good track record working for this world-famous company, having previously completed IKEA stores in Croydon and Brent Park in North London.