The display team and Dr. Martens have cemented their relationship throughout 2012, with a string of successful projects.

The year began with the brand’s first store in Manchester, before continuing with new stores in Glasgow, Bristol, Brimingham (at the city’s iconic Bullring shopping centre) and Nottingham.

And 2012 was topped off by the opening of a new store in Carnaby Street, London. Covering two floors, it was completed in mid-November. A small showroom at their Paris headquarters is also planned to open at the beginning of January, with a full refit of their existing Paris store due in 2013.

Tony Reilly, Triplar’s Dr. Martens Project Manager, said: “This has been a phenomenally busy year and we’re proud to have played a significant role in the biggest store expansion project the brand has ever undertaken. Next year is shaping up to be equally busy and we look forward to meeting the challenges it brings head on.”

Triplar’s factory will now start work on furniture for three stores in January.

Triplar’s customers are increasingly benefiting from the design skills of one of the company’s newest recruits.

Experienced AutoCAD designer Matthew White is bringing projects to life with accurate 3D concept drawings and standardised floor plans.

The Architectural Venue Design and Digital Innovation graduate is well versed in a number of software packages, including AutoCAD, ArchiCAD, SketchUp, Photoshop, and 3D Studio Max. Matthew originally started his career as a furniture designer and upholsterer before undertaking his degree course, during which he completed a placement year at an architectural practise.

He says his passion for 3D design stems from his early experiences in furniture design and production: “I have been interested in 3D design from an early stage in my career and it ultimately led to me returning to higher education so I had the skills and knowledge to support my enthusiasm.

“Working at Triplar is the final piece in the puzzle. Since joining I’ve been able to offer our clients 3D visualisations of what stores will look like at the earliest stage.”

Triplar director Tim Rodwell said: “Matthew’s skills have been an excellent addition to the team. We now offer standardised floor plans and 3D visuals that have helped many of our clients make more informed decisions about display and fittings within stores before work begins.”

Triplar’s factory team have started work on concierge desk that will grace the UK’s second largest shopping centre.

The desk is being built for Bluewater Shopping Centre in Greenhithe, Kent. The high-specification unit has been commissioned by point of purchase and retail marketing agency HRG.

The complex design incorporates brushed steel, a glass ‘roof’ and worktop, interchangeable graphics to the front, a lightbox, colour changing LED lighting and stretched fabric panels. Built to functional as well as visually appealing, the unit also include lockable workstations and cabinets.

Triplar will build the unit in-house before disassembling it for on-site installation at Bluewater.

Managing director Mike Rodwell said: “This is a prestigious project for us and the desk will form an important customer service hub at Bluewater. Millions of people visit the centre every year, so we know the finished desk has got to be hard-wearing as well as great looking.”

Factory manager Colin Day has chalked up 25 years of continuous service at Triplar.

Colin, 42, from Northampton, joined Triplar in July 1985 as an apprentice bench joiner and has seen the business’s headcount more than treble as its operations have expanded into Europe and beyond.

After qualifying as a bench joiner he went on to undertake a wood machinist qualification, before taking the role of Factory manager in 2000.

He added: “People are often astonished when I tell them I have worked here for 25 years, but I’ve never thought of leaving. Triplar has always been a family-run business with a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

“Part of my job now involves nurturing the company’s new apprentices, a role that I thoroughly enjoy. The business has changed considerably over the past two decades, but our commitment to finding and training apprentices and producing consistently high quality furniture and fittings remains the same.”

Triplar director Tim Rodwell said: “We are very fortunate to have such a well-run and highly-skilled factory facility in the UK. Much of the credit for the excellent results our team produces must go to Colin. He instills the highest standards in his team, and is experienced enough to tackle any project with confidence.”

Triplar’s latest apprentice was recently recognised in a UK multi-trade competition.

Henry Dorgan progressed to the regional heat of Skillbuild, the largest multi-trade competition in the country for students and apprentices, in the category of Best Bench Joinery Apprentice.

He follows a line of 30 apprentices who have trained at Triplar’s UK production facility over the past 25 years, many of which have developed under the watchful eye of current factory manager Colin Day.

Triplar MD Mike Rodwell said: “Much is made of the current high rates of youth unemployment in the UK, but not enough is done to encourage apprenticeships. They offer young people a priceless opportunity to train while earning and over the years our apprenticeship programme has contributed a tremendous amount to the company as a whole.”

Triplar currently takes on a new apprentice ever y two years, with each one receiving invaluable on the job training and undertaking an NVQ Level 2 qualification in Carpentry and Joinery at Moulton College in Northampton, before choosing whether to continue with a Level 3 qualification in Advanced Joinery.

Colin said: “Henry deserves considerable praise for what he has achieved. Tutors at Moulton College singled him out to take part in the competition and we were delighted that he made it beyond the initial stages.

“Our apprenticeship scheme is an important part of Triplar’s identity. We recognise that the skills and expertise we have should be passed on to the next generation.”

Triplar’s display team recently completed its 37^th factory store for Levi’s in Italy.

The outlet at the McArthur Glenn Castell Romano shopping village near Rome was completed by a five-man team and incorporated a mix of metalwork, wall system display, free standing furniture, cash desks and graphics.

At Castell Romano, the five-man team were faced with one of the biggest stores yet. At 250 m2, the retail space utilised the full range of equipment options and presented some tricky site variations.

Completed in just four days, the Triplar display team finished their 37^th store with the same consistency, quality and speed as they have applied to the previous 36 outlets.

Triplar MD Mike Rodwell said: “Our clients expect a quality product and a ‘no fuss’ installation ready for the stock to arrive and to be open for trade two days after we finish. There is no room for error. Levi’s rely on us to consistently deliver and complete to schedule and so far we have hit the mark.

“Delivering a near half-century of stores without any major hiccups or problems is a fantastic achievement.  I know our team will deliver the same result whether it is store one or one hundred and one.”

The Triplar shop fit team recently completed fit-out work on a store for luggage retailer Rolling Luggage at Heathrow Airport.

Positioned land-side at Europe’s biggest airport, the four-man team completed the store in just seven days.

The team pulled out existing fittings, installed new electrics, new ceiling panels and redecorated. Furniture, including shelving and a cash desk, finished in American Walnut was custom made in Triplar’s UK production facility and fitted in store.

Darryl Sweeney, project manager, said: “Stores and retail outlets within airport terminals need to have luxurious, high-end feel to attract shoppers. Working within the tight security and regulations imposed by airports makes the job more challenging – but I think the end results speak for themselves, and we returned a great looking store on time.”

The National Association of Shopfitting (NAS) Design Partnership Awards take place next month and Triplar has been shortlisted for its work with Dr Martens.

Now closed, the Dr Martens pop-up store in Spitalfields, London, collected the ‘Pop-up Store of the Year’ award at last year’s Retail Week Interiors Awards 2010.

Designed by consultancy Campaign, the store was originally envisaged to be ultra-low-cost and temporary. It attracted critical acclaim from a number of retail commentators for its rugged, paired-back ‘rough luxe’ appearance and commercial success.Triplar completed The DMStore in just six days, fitting a combination of off-the-shelf industrial fittings, like simple light fittings which hang along one wall, and customised elements such as a cash desk made from salvaged crates.

The Triplar team also worked closely with Campaign to value engineer the design and ensure the project came in on budget.

The National Association of Shopfitters is the only trade association that exclusively promotes the shopfitting industry and has been doing so since 1919. The NAS Design Partnership Awards take place on May 19^th in London.

Work has now finished on an information desk within the UK’s second largest shopping centre.

Built by Triplar’s factory and installed by the shopfitting teams at the Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent, the desk was commissioned by point of purchase and retail marketing agency HRG.

The elliptical desk incorporates Staron tops, a curved stainless body and suspended canopy, back-lit graphics and colour-changing LED lighting.

Triplar’s display team has completed two stores for Nike in South Africa.

The two factory stores in Johannesburg were finished earlier this month in Atterbury and Woodmead.

Both stores have sales areas of 550 m2, within which Triplar’s display team fitted the latest fixtures and store graphics.

The team worked closely with a South African freight agent in shipping six containers to Johannesburg before undertaking the works in-store.

Both stores were completed on time and Triplar have now been commissioned to overhaul stores in Kenilworth, Cape Town, and Durban.

Project manager James Freeman said: “These two stores have been a great success and a real challenge to the team. All production had to be completed in time to catch the boat from Rotterdam to Johannesburg. And as always, making sure shipping and customs paperwork was completed in accordance with correct import regulations required a structured and diligent approach.”