Western Thermal Ltd, leading specialist engineering thermal & acoustic insulation, ductwork, trace heating, and fire stopping, with over thirty years’ experience, has completed Thermal Insulation, Trace Heating and Fire Stopping work at Oxford Westgate which has now opened.
Western Thermal installed Trace Heating and Thermal Insulation & Ventilation to the retail project, along with its Fire Protection & Stopping Divisional service to prevent or slow the spread of flames in a fire situation.
The £440 million project spreads across 800,000 sq ft and includes over 100 shops, restaurants & cafes, and a cinema, creating around 3,500 jobs. This is the first major redevelopment of Oxford Westgate since it was built in the 1970s and the redevelopment meets the demands of Oxford’s 15 million annual visitors.
Michael Slater, Executive Operations Director, said: “Oxford Westgate is yet another major retail project completed by Western Thermal and is in parallel with Westfield in White City, where we have recently been awarded significant additional work in the development’s second phase. Our retail portfolio continues to build given our decades of experience in the sector.”
The Company was contracted by Crown House, with the main contractor being Laing O’Rourke.
Western Thermal’s Trace Heating division specialises in providing water at a constant temperature through a building’s pipes and also protection from frost, which is now a commonplace function for thermal insulation solutions. It is an important and complex part of any given project and key to overall insulation packages. The Company’s trace heating systems include self-limiting heating cables, flexible resistant series heating cables, and metal-sheathed resistant series heating cables.
The division has contributed to numerous landmark projects including 8.5 kilometres of trace heating and frost protection at One Hyde Park, one of London’s most prestigious residential developments. More recently, the Company has delivered its trace heating and frost protection services at Royal Liverpool University Hospital, the Battersea Power Station development, and C610 Crossrail.
Western Thermal’s Thermal division is one of the country’s leading heating and ventilation insulation contractors. Its services meet the ever-increasing demands for both economic and environmental efficiency while meeting client specification and manufacturers’ recommendations, and applications are both internal and external. The Company has also pioneered specialist insulation jackets, using the latest thermal materials combined with removable and reusable Velcro fastenings. Applications of this technology include the food processing industry and international weather stations.
The division has contributed to numerous landmark projects including Heathrow Airport Terminal 5, Wembley Stadium, and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. More recently, it has installed thermal insulation at Victoria Station, completed major works at the Battersea Power Station residential, retail and leisure development, and worked on the redevelopment of Bond Street Underground Station, along with a number of University of Leeds projects including the Worsley building and the Edward Boyle Library.
Western Thermal’s Fire Protection & Stopping division specialises in physical measures to prevent or slow the spread of flames in a fire situation. The Company has received numerous accreditations and is certified by FRIAS.
The division has contributed to many landmark projects including the Delta Lounge at Heathrow Airport and the Mango Store in Victoria. More recently, Western Thermal has completed its largest Fire Protection & Stopping project at The Zig Zag Building in Victoria, London, along with mechanical and domestic services at London’s Westfield Shopping Centre in White City. The Company also used its Fire Protection & Stopping services in the redevelopment of C610 Crossrail, part of Europe’s largest current infrastructure project.
