Founded in 1986 by American entrepreneur Joseph Segel, the QVC television franchise has grown exponentially to become a globally recognized brand name. Today, QVC has channels in the USA, UK, Germany and Japan, reaches over 166 million homes, and is the UK’s leading multimedia retailer.
In November 2011, QVC UK decided to move from Marco Polo House in Battersea to a new £33.6 million home at Chiswick Park, West London. The new building sits over five levels covering 13,000 square metres, and houses over 500 employees. The building’s state-of-the-art studios ensure 17 hours of live TV are broadcasted every day with no interruptions. QVC UK is in good company in their new location – fellow broadcasters Paramount Pictures, United International Pictures, Discovery Communications and CBS News are also based at Chiswick Park.
Bancroft, the contractors for the project, suggested the use of Jaga trench heating products. “I had worked with Jaga on a number of prestigious projects for a previous employer. I had always found the team at Jaga knowledgeable, professional and incredibly helpful. When I made the move to Bancroft, I was keen to continue this partnership,” said Mike Cox, Project Director at Bancroft.
“The architecture of the building called for a narrow heating solution which could be fitted at a shallow depth,” continued Mike Cox. “With the Mini Canal, Jaga was able to offer a product that fulfilled the requirements of the project and was competitively priced.”
In total, 206 Jaga’s Mini Canal units were fitted throughout the building, along the perimeters of each floor. With its varying depth, size and multiple grille material options, the Mini Canal is a practical and versatile heating solution. Furthermore, the Mini Canal’s powerful functionality creates a warm barrier of air, eliminating condensation and cold draughts – ideal for the floor to ceiling windows that are look out across the park.
Despite this being such a large project, there was no room for any delays. QVC UK prides itself on broadcasting live 6,188 hours a year, breaking only for Christmas Day. As such, the retailer needed to close its old studios at Marco Polo House at 2am, ready to be broadcasting live from Chiswick Park by 9am the same day.
To ensure the project flowed smoothly, the Mini Canal units were delivered fully-assembled and ready-to-fit. For further convenience, Jaga arranged a staggered delivery of the units to Chiswick Park – each section of the building received its own phased delivery, so as not to overwhelm the contractors. “The staggered delivery was great,” said Mike Cox. “We were able to avoid large amounts of unfixed material on site and limit the potential of anything getting damaged prior to installation.”
The Mini Canal was the perfect fit for the new QVC UK headquarters. Their discreet design is in keeping with minimalist aesthetic of the rest of the building, blending in seamlessly with the simple lines and elegant design of the interior. “The Mini Canals were easy to install, looked good, and all parties were thrilled with the result. A quality product at the right price, ” concluded Mike Cox.