Ibex Interiors were awarded the contract to provide ceiling and lighting installations to the JICC Control Room area, within Network Rail's 11th floor office, in the Mailbox Development in Birmingham, early in January 2007.

The project presented numerous challenges to the Ibex team, as the Control Room operated 24 hours a day with staff manning computers to serve 5 franchises operating for Network Rail.  As such, actual works were executed at night, when client staff attendance was at a minimum.

To facilitate the works and allow the continuous operation of the Client's business, the works were undertaken in 3 phases, with a birdcage scaffold erected over staff workstations. The boarded platform, erected to 1/3 of the floor area, was completely enclosed in polythene to the boarded platform of the scaffold and also the existing walls of the office area, so to provide a 'cocooned' environment for the works and to prevent dust migration to office areas below.

As each phase of work was completed the scaffold was dismantled and re-erected. A phased programme of work was chosen to minimise intrusion to client operations and also limit the amount of scaffolding used.

All material transportation to the 11th floor level of the building was via the client's goods lift.

The works included a new acoustic ceiling installation, new electrical wiring and light installations, drywall partitioning in two areas, decorations and control of the existing security installations.

A particular feature of the site controls, was the successful management  of noisy operations, with residential accommodation directly above on the 12th floor.