What we do in warehouse and distribution facilities
Warehouse electrical differs from other commercial work in scale and in consequence. Runs are longer, ceilings are higher, loads are heavier, and the building has to keep operating while the work happens.
- High-bay and low-bay lighting design and installation
- Three-phase power distribution and new subpanels
- Circuits for conveyors, balers, compressors, and shrink wrappers
- Dock leveller, dock light, and door operator power
- Battery charging areas for forklifts and MHE
- Exterior yard, dock apron, and security lighting
- Emergency and exit lighting for large floor plates
- EV charging infrastructure for fleet vehicles
Lighting that works with the racking, not against it
The most common lighting failure in a warehouse is not darkness overall, it is darkness in the aisles. Fixtures laid out on a uniform grid light the tops of racks beautifully and leave pickers working in shadow.
Racking layout has to drive the lighting layout. When racking changes, the lighting usually needs revisiting too, which is why we ask about planned reconfiguration before designing.
What we account for
- Aisle direction and rack height, which set fixture placement
- Aisle-optimised distribution rather than uniform flood
- Light levels at floor and pick face, not just at ceiling
- Fixture access for future maintenance at height
- Zoned controls so unused aisles are not lit
- Any planned racking reconfiguration
Tell us if racking is moving
A lighting design built around today's aisle layout stops working the day the racking is reconfigured. If a change is planned within a year or two, say so — we can design for flexibility instead of redoing it.
Power distribution and equipment circuits
Warehouses accumulate load. Equipment gets added, a mezzanine goes in, a packing line expands, and the distribution that was adequate five years ago is now carrying more than it was designed for.
We assess actual load before adding to it, rather than finding the limit the hard way during a peak season.
- Three-phase distribution and subpanel installation
- Dedicated circuits for fixed plant and machinery
- Motor circuits, starters, and disconnects
- Forklift charging areas with correct ventilation-related clearances
- Load assessment before adding significant equipment
- Phase balancing across the distribution board
Working without stopping the operation
Very few warehouses can hand over the building for a week. Most work has to happen around shifts, in zones, or during the narrow window between the last outbound and the first inbound.
We plan the sequence with your operations lead before quoting, because a schedule that ignores your shift pattern is a schedule that gets abandoned halfway through.
- Zone-by-zone work so the rest of the floor keeps running
- Night and weekend shifts where the operation cannot pause
- Temporary lighting or power where a zone must stay usable
- Shutdowns planned and communicated well in advance
- Coordination with racking, mechanical, and fire contractors
Maintenance, where the real saving is
In a distribution facility the cost of an electrical failure is rarely the repair. It is the hours the line was down and the orders that did not ship.
Thermal imaging under load finds the deteriorating connection while it is still a scheduled fix. Given how much of a warehouse runs on motors and contactors, that inspection pays for itself quickly.
- Thermal survey of distribution boards and motor circuits
- Torque verification on accessible terminations
- Contactor and starter condition assessment
- Emergency and exit lighting testing across large floor plates
- Load and phase balance measurement
- Findings ranked so shutdowns can be batched into one window
How a warehouse project runs
- 1
Site walk with operations
We walk the floor with someone who knows the shift pattern and the racking plan, not just the building. That is what makes the schedule realistic.
- 2
Design and quote
For lighting, a layout with predicted levels at floor and pick face. For power, a load assessment. Both stated clearly enough to compare against other bids.
- 3
Phased installation
Work proceeds zone by zone or on off-shift hours, with any required shutdowns agreed and communicated in advance.
- 4
Verify and hand over
Light levels measured against the design, circuits tested and labelled, and documentation provided for maintenance records and any rebate claim.
Related commercial services
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Frequently asked questions
- Can you work while the warehouse is operating? +
- Usually yes, zone by zone. Where a shutdown is unavoidable we plan it around your shift pattern and give notice. We agree the sequence with your operations lead before quoting rather than after.
- Why are our aisles dark when the ceiling lights look fine? +
- Almost always a lighting layout that ignores the racking. Fixtures on a uniform grid light the tops of racks and leave aisles in shadow. Aisle-optimised placement and distribution fixes it, usually without more fixtures.
- Do we need three-phase power? +
- Most warehouse plant, from compressors to conveyors, is three-phase. Whether your building already has adequate capacity depends on your service and existing load, which we measure before recommending an upgrade.
- Can you install forklift charging areas? +
- Yes, including the circuits, distribution, and disconnects. Charging areas have specific requirements around clearances and ventilation, which we account for in the design.
- Do LED retrofits qualify for Mass Save incentives? +
- Commercial lighting is one of the most consistently supported categories. Levels vary by equipment and program year, so we confirm eligibility for your project and handle the application as a Mass Save partner.
- How disruptive is a full lighting retrofit? +
- Less than most operators expect, if it is phased. Working aisle by aisle with temporary lighting where needed, most facilities keep running throughout. The disruptive version is the one that was not planned around your shifts.