Case Study
Government Department Relocation – Christchurch
Client
Government Department
Location
Christchurch, New Zealand
Project Duration
32 weeks
Scope
Relocation of 800 staff, installation of new equipment, and redistribution of legacy furniture.
Project Overview
The Workplace Moving Company were engaged by our client to manage the relocation of approximately 800 staff to their new premises in September 2025. This high profile, large-scale project required detailed planning, coordination, and execution to ensure a seamless transition with minimal disruption to the client’s operations.
Key Deliverables
3rd Party Warehousing
Newly procured items were delivered / imported to our Dunedin warehouse in advance of the new building access. This enabled suppliers’ flexibility and ensured goods arrived to the site when required.
Our warehouse teams were also able to reconcile items, flag any issues and quality check every item in advance which allowed issue to be resolved without affecting the project timeline.
Pre-Move Setup
Delivered and installed new monitors at the destination site to ensure all workstations were operational upon arrival.
Relocation Execution
Worked closely with theatre staff, contractors, and venue managers to ensure alignment with project milestones and access requirements.
Legacy Furniture Removal
Coordinated the removal of all furniture from the vacated sites. This included sorting, packing, and transporting items to various destinations.
Redistribution Strategy
In alignment with the client’s sustainability and community values, we developed and executed a redistribution plan for the legacy furniture, which included:
- Delivery to clients’ regional offices across the country.
- Furniture upcycling to local charities, polytechnics, and community organisations.
- Minimising landfill waste through reuse, recycling and repurposing. 95% of the legacy items were reused or repurposed. Only broken nonrecyclable items were sent to landfill.
Challenges Overcome
Tight Timeframes
Coordinated multiple move phases across several weeks to meet clients’ operational deadlines.
Complex Logistics
Managed multiple delivery points across the South Island, including regional and community-based recipients.
Sustainability Goals
Successfully diverted most legacy furniture from landfill, supporting clients’ environmental objectives.
Working With Other Contractors
Our pre-relocation work required the installation of new monitors and installation of earthquake bracing for existing furniture moves.
This was conducted through the building contractors and required high levels of coordination with the building owner, their contractors and within building site Health and Safety.
All of this work was completed without issue, on time and in compliance with the building contractor requirements. Because of the success of our team, we now complete all existing desk installation across the country and full IT Installations across all sites.
Outcome
The project was delivered on time, within budget, and with no disruption to the client’s business continuity. The Workplace Moving Company’s professionalism, flexibility, and commitment to sustainability were key to the project’s success.
