A look at the collaboration between OpenBox and GLD with Pascal Dominois, Director of Operations at GLD 

Why did you choose OpenBox?
When consultation began at the beginning of 2016, it seemed to us that OpenBox, as a company, was too young and was not, therefore, a credible option for us. But OpenBox insisted on delivering an offer, they were extremely motivated!
For our part, we wanted to assess the proposal of the contractor with whom we were already working. We were surprised by the gap between both prices. The determination of the team, indeed its obligation to succeed in the operation, convinced us. We decided to trust them. And we have no regrets!

How would you describe your experience with Co Design&Build?
The Co Design&Build meetings were very reassuring and they enabled us to move forward with the project together as a whole. Reports on accounting, planning, costs, everything was reviewed each month. A completely different way of working. We were able to see that the OpenBox strategy didn’t involve margin recovery but was more concerned with information sharing and collaboration. When issues arose (which inevitably occur on such projects), they were discussed and resolved. Everything was done progressively as we moved forward, in a collaborative way. When you don’t discover things too late, you can’t suspect a hidden agenda.  So tensions are quickly dissipated.
Given the highly competitive circumstances and the consensual efforts made during the negotiation, the “shared savings” at the end of the operation were limited, but the transparency was a reality that made the offer unique.
Objectively, this transparency and collaboration allowed us to conduct this operation in a relaxed and constructive way, until the snagging list was resolved. Throughout the entire project, we felt supported.
 
Are you satisfied?
Of course, because the timing and the price were kept in check and the building is consistent with what we wanted!
Our new 24,000 m² tool means we can work with large industrial clients, who are careful about the handling of their goods (like Rolls-Royce Civil Nuclear, Hager, etc.). We offer them tailored solutions for storage, procurement, industrial packaging and transportation.
Whatever the sector (pharmaceutical, food, energy, mass distribution), our expertise in logistics and our set-up are the hallmark of our reputation, but our warehouses are a definite advantage: now when we tour the warehouses with our clients, the design quality wins them over.
The building is also scalable, as demonstrated by the 25-tonne-capacity overhead travelling crane, which are already being installed for our industrial packing and handling operations for large volumes.  We will therefore be able to offer integrated solutions under the same roof, in a high-end environment.

Friday 19 May: Jadéo, OpenBox, their partners and construction workers celebrate progress at the site.  More information.

In early 2017, OpenBox constructed warehouses extending over an area of 24,000 m² on behalf of GLD, a leading logistics provider in the French city of Grenoble. Pascal Dominois, operations manager at GLD, selected OpenBox because of their pricing and their unique advantages. 
 
What are your goals for this commercial real estate project?
Our core client base is predominantly made up of large industrial companies based in the greater Grenoble area. In this region, real estate is a scarce resource that can jeopardise the performance of the entire supply chain. This shortage of available land for building has led to a dearth of modern logistics facilities, which play an essential role in the development of local economic activity and the creation of employment. Next-generation logistics platforms facilitate freight consolidation within transport hubs, reducing the financial and environmental cost of transportation. Moreover, having such a platform at our disposal will allow us to expand our logistics, transport and industrial packaging services within an infrastructure that is capable of meeting the demands of even the most challenging business sectors.  
By locating this new platform in close proximity to the greater Grenoble area, we are consolidating our position as a regional market leader and can offer our existing and prospective customers a viable, flexible and high-quality solution. Our logistics hub, extending over a single 60,000 m² site, is the only one of its kind in Grenoble. This hub is vital for us as a means of achieving our growth objectives; it's vital for our customers as a means of securing their long-term future in the region; and it's vital for greater Grenoble as a whole as a means of increasing and securing employment opportunities.

In your opinion, how does the "Co Design&Build" offering differ from the other design and construction solutions on the market?
From the first point of contact, we felt that we were dealing with a clear, transparent offering. As we were satisfied with the result of a previous construction project completed with the help of a general contractor, we did not want to invest time in providing a detailed description of our requirements followed by a thorough assessment of proposals. The collaborative process allowed us to make sure that we would quickly come to an agreement on the type of building to be constructed.
With the "Co Design&Build" model, we can easily access key information whenever we need it, including the technical solutions proposed and implemented to meet our needs, the firm performance obligations we have agreed on, the list of companies that took part in the tendering process, and the current status of the schedule.
Knowing the actual building costs and sharing any savings achieved also brings significant benefits in terms of reducing our own costs.

Why did you select OpenBox for your project?
In all honesty, and despite the numerous advantages offered by the "Co Design&Build" model, our original intention was to renew our partnership with the general contractor that we had worked with previously.
However, OpenBox's competitive offering and extensive expertise led us to reconsider our decision within a few short weeks. Given the solution's solid technical, legal and financial credentials, it made no sense not to opt for the benefits of a solution that was more transparent, collaborative and cost-effective.

For more information on this project, go to "Collaboration in action