07/03/05

New Laguna Launched At Official Opening

A new look for two well-known names associated with Renault will make their debuts in Trowbridge from Friday 18th March. While local motorists will have their first chance to view and drive the revised New Renault Laguna, local dealership Platinum Renault marks the official opening of a brand new dealership in Trowbridge.

Purpose-built to Renault’s latest design specifications last year, Platinum Renault in Trowbridge is part of a multi-million pound flagship development at North Bradley, on the gateway to Wiltshire’s county town. The Renault dealership opened to customers at the end of last year, but will be officially unveiled by the Mayor of Trowbridge, Councillor Grace Hill on Saturday. Platinum Renault is the first of Platinum’s dealerships at North Bradley to have its official launch.

Platinum Renault is marking the double celebration with a three-day open event for all local motorists. Starting at 08.30 on Friday, 13th March, visitors can look around the state-of-the-art dealership including a rare opportunity to go inside the Renault approved workshop. Visitors may be surprised to see how clean and tidy a modern workshop is and the high levels of computer technology used by Renault Technicians.

The party atmosphere continues through the weekend with a Caribbean Steel Orchestra and a children’s entertainer performing in the dealership on Saturday, 19th March. Those who fancy a test drive with a difference can exercise their skills on a Renault F1 Team simulator which will be running at the dealership on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th March.

“We want it to be a fun and interesting day out for all the family, and hope to see visitors old and young taking a good look at our amazing new building, as well as trying out family cars like New Laguna, Espace, Scénic, Modus or Mégane, for size,” said Platinum Renault Brand Manager Peter James.

With the first chance to get behind the wheel of the updated Renault Laguna, local motorists should look out for a dynamic new look to match the style of Renault’s latest models. However, New Laguna has had more than just a simple face-lift. Its redesigned dashboard puts the emphasis on driver comfort and convenience, and an impressive list of options includes a state-of-the-art new Bluetooth Nav-Com System with full colour display

The new powerful and super stylish GT205 trim level for new Laguna 2005 comes with a 205 hp 16V Turbo engine. This new sports version delivers a 0-62 mph in only 7.2 seconds and standard equipment includes 17" ‘Drenalic’ alloy wheels, GT205 two-tone leather sports seats, heated front seats, integrated rear sunblind, ‘Turn by Turn’ satellite navigation, tyre pressure monitor, metallic paint and sports suspension.

Building on Laguna’s excellent safety credentials (the Laguna was the first ever car to get a five star safety rating from crash testers at Euro NCAP in 2001), the new model has eight airbags and improved head restraints. New Laguna also has two new Euro IV compliant diesels, which are cleaner, more powerful and offer low tax ratings for company car drivers.

As well as Laguna, visitors can test drive any of the Renault range during the opening weekend – just bring your driving licence!

The dealership is open from 09.30 to 18.00 on Friday, 09.00 to 17.00 on Saturday and 10.30 to 16.00 on Sunday. To find out more contact the dealership in North Bradley on 01225 759525.

26/01/05

Introducing The Platinum Management Teams At The Meridian Motor Park

Renrod Ltd (owner of the Platinum group of dealerships) would like to introduce its new management team for its ground-breaking multi-million pound “Meridian Project” motor park development at the Meridian Business Park in Trowbridge.

Creating a gateway to Wiltshire’s county town of Trowbridge, the Vauxhall, Toyota, Renault and Nissan brands are represented at the 5.25 - acre site. Opened at the end of December and now fully operational, four franchise trained teams are in place to help and advise customers in choosing their next vehicle, or for assisting in the all important aftercare for all makes of vehicle – whether routine servicing or a major repair.

The team at Platinum Vauxhall work under Vauxhall Brand Manager Glen Gilliam, who is also responsible for Renrod Ltd’s other Platinum Vauxhall dealerships in Frome and Chippenham. Currently, Glen is acting Sales Manager for the Trowbridge site, working with his sales team. Service Manager Mark Hicks looks after the Service Department and Parts Manager Simon Major is responsible for running the Parts Department. Branch Accountant duties are taken care of by Stephanie Adams.

Platinum Toyota is headed up by General Manager Jonathan White, who is also acting Sales Manager. Service Manager for the dealership is Paul Brooks with overall responsibility for the Platinum Toyota parts operations in the Bath branch with Geoff Andrews. The Branch Accountant for the site is Heather Berry.

The Platinum Renault team work under Renault Brand Manager Peter James, who is also responsible for Renrod Ltd’s other Platinum Renault dealerships in Bath and Chippenham. General Sales Manager David Smart is responsible for the day to day running of the site. The aftersales team comprises of Service Manager Steve Mawby and Alex Mole in the Parts Department. Accounting duties are currently carried out from Platinum Renault in Bath.

The Platinum Nissan team work under Nissan Brand Manager Richard Pulsford who is also responsible for Platinum Nissan in Box, near Bath. Lee Ball is Sales Manager with Chris Myatt taking care of the Service Department. Parts duties are looked after by Sam Bickers. Accounting functions are carried out from Platinum Nissan in Bath.

Rodney Cuff, Managing Director of Renrod Ltd commented, “It’s pleasing to see the site open and we look forward to welcoming customers into our new businesses where we can offer a tremendous choice of vehicle options and a range of aftercare services from state of the art facilities.”

24/01/05

From Cars to Buses!

Trowbridge based Renrod Ltd, owner of the Platinum group of dealerships and one of the region’s largest automotive retailers has named a public bus stop outside their new motor park in Trowbridge as “Platinum”!

Renrod Ltd, has recently launched their new trading name of “Platinum”. The bus stop is sited on the main road outside of their newly opened “Meridian Project” motor park development.

With their head office in Trowbridge and 12 dealerships spanning Bath, North Somerset and West Wiltshire, Renrod Ltd opened their multi-million pound Meridian Project at the end of last year. It creates a modern gateway to Wiltshire’s county town of Trowbridge, housing Platinum’s Vauxhall, Toyota, Renault and Nissan dealerships.

As part of the development plan for the motor park, many environmental features were incorporated into the design. The newly built bus shelter and layby on the main road running past the building replaces the old layby stop. New pavement all around the new site was also included in the overall scheme.

It is hoped that the new bus stop will encourage both staff and clients to use public transport to reach the new facility. Buses pass the new motor park on a regular basis thus providing an alternative mode of transport for reaching the development.

20/12/04

Meridian Project Opens In Trowbridge – News Extra

Renrod Limited’s multi-million pound Meridian Project based in Trowbridge opens its doors on Monday 20th December for the first time to welcome customers.

The tailor made development creates a modern and state-of-the-art motor park facility at the entrance to the White Horse Business Park and forms an aesthetically pleasing gateway to Wiltshire’s county town of Trowbridge. It is representative of the motor industry in this new century and mirrors the giant steps forward made by vehicle manufacturers in terms of customer care, technology, safety, stylings and environmental technologies.

The result is a modern and relaxed environment which reflects the retail standards of the four manufacturers represented (Vauxhall, Toyota, Renault and Nissan), and the extensive choice of product ranges and services offered by those brands.

Between the 17th and 19th of December, Platinum Toyota moved across from Warminster, Platinum Renault moved from Bradford on Avon and Platinum Vauxhall relocated from Town Bridge in Trowbridge. The Platinum Nissan dealership is a new business and will form a sister site to Platinum Nissan at Box, near Bath.

Mike Ratcliff, Group Developments Manager for Renrod Ltd said, “This project takes motor retailing into a new era of customer satisfaction and dealership facility. The task of creating it has involved a great number of people from many areas of expertise, before and during the development and construction stages. This included, but is not limited to, King Sturge, BBA Architects and the franchise Dealer Development teams. The project will represent a first for the motor trade locally, as it will be the first bespoke motor park facility in our area.”

An important aspect of the site was to design enough space and room into the overall site plan – an important factor for vehicle display and customer parking areas. The dealerships were also positioned in a way that was complimentary to one another and placed in context by a visually pleasing landscape scheme.

BBA Architects, based in Bath, designed the buildings with curved, low eave roofing, in order to make the buildings appear lower to the ground and lessen the impact on the skyline. Each of the buildings is limited to two stories, with the lower floors being used as showrooms, sales and after-sales centres, and the upper floors devoted to administration and training purposes. The roof overhang provides solar shading to the development, which mainly faces south and Brise soleil canopies have been included to give a more comfortable internal working environment.

A specific project commitment was given in terms of encompassing energy efficient and environmentally friendly features into the overall concept of the development. This important theme has a natural synergy with many of the vehicles that will be offered from the site, where the Vauxhall, Toyota, Renault and Nissan brands are constantly developing improvements to the economy and recyclability of conventional cars, and exploring new technologies such as dual fuel and other alternatives to petrol and diesel engines.

Rodney Cuff, Managing Director of Renrod Ltd commented, “The new site will provide an excellent resource for our customers and clients in terms of meeting their motoring requirements. We are also pleased that we have been able to incorporate environmentally sustainable solutions to some of the problems on the site and have been able to involve local companies in both the design and construction of the units.”

Some of the environmental features included in the build are: Low voltage lighting; Fuel efficient radiant heat delivery in all the workshops; Landscaping to include low maintenance planting (saving water); Environmentally friendly drainage and separation systems to ensure no pollution of effluent discharge; Underfloor exhaust extraction; Dust extraction; and Computer controlled oil extraction and disposal.
The new buildings boast a range of other health, safety and security features including fire and intruder alarms, as well as state of the art CCTV. In addition to the showrooms themselves, the buildings are well served by the latest workshop innovations.

For further information on the Meridian Project development, please visit the dedicated website www.meridianproject.com

In addition to the new Meridian Project development in Trowbridge, Renrod Limited has also updated several of its other dealerships in Bath, Chippenham and Frome.

13/12/04

Renrod Ltd Opens Meridian Project In Trowbridge

Renrod Ltd is proud to announce the opening on the 20th December of the “Meridian Project” – a state of the art motor park development on the gateway to Trowbridge. It will be home to Platinum Vauxhall, Platinum Toyota, Platinum Renault and Platinum Nissan.

The new development represents a major investment and a quantum leap forward for the company and is the culmination of approximately 4 years work – from the original purchase of the land, through the various planning and designing processes and then to the construction of the buildings and facilities themselves.

The site incorporates the latest standards in automotive retailing and as such will provide customers with an aesthetically pleasing, comfortable and practical environment with which to select the vehicle or service of choice.

The company will be releasing further stories and images relating to the “Meridian Project” in the coming weeks – please return to our websites for the latest information.

We look forward to welcoming you to our new businesses.

19/10/04

Meridian Project Nears Completion

The doors to Renrod Limited’s multi-million pound “Meridian Project” will soon be open. As the final developments to the four-dealership site come together, the new state-of-the-art gateway to Trowbridge is nearing a November completion date.

Mike Ratcliff, Group Development Manager for Renrod Limited said, “One night last week I visited the site with Rodney Cuff, Renrod’s Managing Director. As we turned the corner, the site was illuminated for the first time. This gave a lasting impression of a piece of wasteground that has come to life over the past 10 months.”

Mr Ratcliff added, “Now that most of the signage is almost complete, the concept of a retail trading operation opening in November becomes a reality. Final fit out is progressing at a great pace and all of the furniture, fixtures and fittings are being delivered in the last week of October.”

Senior staff from the franchise dealerships have also been visiting the site and are delighted with the results that they are seeing. Philippe Talou-Derible, Managing Director and Andrew Luck, Operations Director for Renault UK Ltd, visited the site recently and were very impressed with the statement that was portrayed by the Renault facility.

Renrod Limited have been working with principal partners on the multi-million pound development such as BBA Architects, King Sturge, Adonis, as well as the dealer development teams from Renault, Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall in order to conceive and shape the concept.

Mathew Bollen from BBA Architects said, “It has been a pleasure working with a forward thinking company like Renrod Limited on a very complex development, and also with the four involved manufacturers. Adonis Construction have developed the project to our design theory and approach by incorporating modern energy saving parameters, resulting in a quality flagship development for Wiltshire.”

The project teams are working to a November handover date and it is hoped that the doors to the will be open by the middle of the month.

Mr Ratcliff also commented, “Vauxhall, Toyota, Renault and Nissan dealerships are encompassed by The Meridian Project which will be the first multi-franchise motor trade business park developed by a single company in this area. The project has involved a great number of people from many areas of expertise and will take motor retailing into a new era of customer satisfaction.”

The design brief was to create an aesthetically pleasing visual landmark whilst incorporating the latest technologies, facilities and practicalities required for a group of dealerships. In the minds eye of the design team, the 5.25-acre site would be a shop window for the entrance to the White Horse Business Park and a gateway to Trowbridge.

13/09/04

Meridian Project Builds Momentum

The Renrod Motor Group’s multi-million pound “Meridian Project” is drawing towards a November handover.

The 4 dealership development, which will house the Vauxhall, Toyota, Renault and Nissan brands on one site at the gateway to Trowbridge, has made so much headway that additional features and extra finishing touches are being included in the final plans. The original outlines for the project are now being built upon and expanded, resulting in a ¼ million pound increase in value to the final result.

Visitors to the site will be impressed by the block paving which will now cover the entire site, rather than the tarmac which was in the original plans. The whole area has also received earth stabilisation, improving the ground condition and levelling out any differences in the more porous areas of soil which could have resulted in dips in the surface area over time.

Cyril Ghent, Construction Manager for Adonis said, “Due to the inconsistency in ground conditions we decided to lime stabilise the entire ground. This has significantly improved the ground bearing pressure and as the cement continues to harden, the surface will continue to improve with time. This is the first time that Adonis has used such earth stabilisation techniques and we are very pleased with the results”.

Andy Higgs, Partner at King Sturge – Project Managers for the development is delighted with the rate of progress which has enabled the team to add in these additional features. As well as attention to detail, the team also had to hard core fill 3 wells at a depth of 17/18feet, which had not been identified in the original ground survey. Yet even with these unforeseen hurdles, the team has still progressed at a rate which has allowed the blocked paving and ground stabilisation, as well as enhanced finishes in the showroom.

Mr Higgs puts it all down to excellent communications between the team and said, “There has been very good communication between Renrod’s employed subcontractors and the main contractors – Adonis. Everyone has worked together very well and the benefits are being seen in the programme. The additional features have been possible due to good co-ordination and control and we are all looking forward to the final result.”

Directors and senior managers from The Renrod Motor Group have been working with principal partners on the multi-million pound development such as BBA Architects, King Sturge, Adonis, as well as the dealer development teams from Renault, Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall in order to conceive and shape the concept.

Mike Ratcliff, Group Development Manager for The Renrod Motor Group said, “This project will take motor retailing into a new era of customer satisfaction as it will be the first multi-franchise motor trade business park developed by a single company in this area. The project has involved a great number of people from many areas of expertise and we have been very impressed with the quality of the build and everyone’s proactive approach.”

Mr Higgs added, “The design brief was to create an aesthetically pleasing visual landmark whilst incorporating the latest technologies, facilities and practicalities required for a group of dealerships. In the minds eye of the design team, the 5.25-acre site would be a shop window for the entrance to the White Horse Business Park and a gateway to Trowbridge - that dream is now taking shape.”

The latest developments and up-to-date 360-degree pictures can be viewed at - www.meridianproject.com along with artists’ impressions of how the final build will look on completion.

02/08/04

Meridian Project Progresses Towards Autumn Completion

The Renrod Motor Group’s state-of-the-art “Meridian Project” has progressed well during July with each building now recognisable as a car dealership.

The project teams are working to an autumn handover date with and it is hoped that the doors to the dealerships will be open by the end of October. But with work progressing so well during July, additional features have been added and the team are working around the clock to ensure that the target deadline is met.

Directors and senior managers from The Renrod Motor Group have been working with principal partners on the multi-million pound development such as BBA Architects, King Sturge, Adonis, as well as the dealer development teams from Renault, Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall in order to conceive and shape the concept.

Andy Higgs, Project Manager from King Sturge commented, “The overall quality of the work on site is exceptional, but the handover date may be extended slightly, due to additional work added into the project. For example, block paving for the entire site, suspended ceilings to all four showrooms and additional signage, as well as external layout requirements from all four manufacturers.”

Adonis, Renrod’s main contractor now have 70+ employees and contractors on the site, and many are working seven days a week to meet the extended completion date. Staff are working extremely hard and have already overcome many obstacles in order to meet the completion date.

Vauxhall, Toyota, Renault and Nissan dealerships are encompassed by the project and the Vauxhall/Toyota building is still progressing at a great pace. The building will be handed over late September/early October for its final fit out which includes furniture and point of sale materials. The Renault/Nissan building is also progressing well, with the first floor and all of the block work now complete. Internal tiling, curtain walling and glazing is to be completed by mid August.

Mike Ratcliff, Group Development Manager for The Renrod Motor Group said, “The excitement is increasing the closer we get to completion and we start our operational staff induction at the end of next week with Toyota and Vauxhall. This project will take motor retailing into a new era of customer satisfaction and we are very much looking forward to the completion of the build.”

The Meridian Project will be the first multi-franchise motor trade business park developed by a single company in this area and the project has involved a great number of people from many areas of expertise – from the original purchase of the site through to the eventual launch.
The design brief was to create an aesthetically pleasing visual landmark whilst incorporating the latest technologies, facilities and practicalities required for a group of dealerships. In the minds eye of the design team, the 5.25-acre site would be a shop window for the entrance to the White Horse Business Park and a gateway to Trowbridge.
The latest developments and up-to-date 360-degree pictures can be viewed at - www.meridianproject.com along with artists’ impressions of how the final build will look on completion.

01/06/04

Meridian Project on Schedule

The multi-million-pound “Meridian Project” is forging ahead with a handover date clearly within sight. The state-of-the-art motor park development in Trowbridge is spanning a 5.25-acre site beside the White Horse Business Park and is on course for completion on 27th September.
With all of the steel work now in place and many other developments unfolding, Renrod is confident that the handover will take place on schedule with the Vauxhall, Toyota, Renault and Nissan dealerships encompassed by the project ready to open their doors during the first or second week of October.

Mike Ratcliff, Group Development Manager for Renrod Motor Group commented, “We are excited about being on schedule with this project. Adonis our main contractor has worked extremely hard to overcome many obstacles in order to meet the target completion date. This project will take motor retailing into a new era of customer satisfaction”

The Toyota / Vauxhall building is progressing extremely well and is 3 weeks ahead of the Renault / Nissan building. The 1st floor and all of the block work is now complete with all of the internal tiling, curtain walling and glazing to be done by middle of July - putting this building significantly ahead of schedule.

The Renault / Nissan building had problems with its steel work, as the supplying fabricator experienced difficulties, however the hard work of the new steel workers, from Arches - a company from the Midlands, has ensured that this building will also be ready on time.

Internal work starts soon with the tiling which is to be completed by the middle of July. This is to be followed by several “fit out” stages when electrical work and other core infrastructures are put into place according to the requirements of the different manufacturers. Once this is complete, work then turns to landscaping.

With work on track the Meridian team is in a position to add some new features to the site. Plans have been submitted for an environmentally friendly triple car wash which will work on rain water harvesting. Rain water will be collected from the roof of the Renault/Nissan building in a holding tank from which all of the cars will be washed. All of the water used is then recycled with approximately 95% put back into the holding tank.

With such revolutionary developments underway, for those who cannot wait until September to see the finished article, progress can be viewed at www.meridianproject.com where virtual images of the completed site are displayed.

18/05/04

Renrod Group’s Driving Ambition

A Press Story In Conjunction With Adonis Construction, BBA Architects and Premier Construction Magazine

Adonis Construction builds 4 new motor showrooms for the Renrod Group’s new bespoke motor facility.

Construction has begun on a new motor park facility for the Renrod Motor Group at Meridian Business Park in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. The four buildings of similar design will contain separate dealership showrooms for the Renault, Nissan, Vauxhall and Toyota brands. There are also further plans for an additional head office building, car-washing facilities and a vehicle preparation building.

The 5.25acre site was originally purchased back in March 2000 as a long-term investment, with a view to creating a tailor made, state of the art motor park facility at the gateway to the commercially expanding town of Trowbridge. During the development stage, the Renrod Group worked closely with several partners, including King Sturge and BBA Architects, in order to ensure that the environment and safety standards laid out by local authorities were met, whilst also meeting each dealership specification. Planning permission was granted on the understanding that the impact on the surrounding environment would be minimal.

BBA Architects, based in Bath, designed the showrooms with curved, low eave roofing, in order to make the buildings appear lower to the ground and lessen the impact on the skyline. For the same reason, each of the buildings was limited to two storeys, with the lower floors being used as showrooms, sales and after-sales centres, and the upper floors devoted to administration and training purposes.

Another environmental feature requirement specified by the planning authorities was the construction of a landscaped ‘swell’, designed to ensure against pollution from oil and effluent discharge. Director/Architect Matt Bollen, of BBA, explained: “The swell is basically a kind of ditch, designed to work as an early warning system. If there are any problems, such as leaking oil or diesel, they will show up in the grass.”

The new buildings boast a range of other safety features including fire and intruder alarms, as well as state of the art CCTV. In addition to the showrooms themselves, the buildings are well served by the latest workshop innovations along with a good expanse of customer and staff parking.

The striking new showrooms are due to open in the autumn. The £4 million design and build contract has been passed to Adonis Construction Ltd, and the first stage of the work is due to be completed later this year.

In addition to the new developments in Trowbridge, the Renrod Group is also updating several of its other dealerships throughout the southwest of the country, although it is the Meridian Business Park location that will eventually provide the Group with a new headquarters and flagship motor centre to be proud of.

Mike Ratcliff, Renrod Group Development Manager, commented: “This development will represent a colossal step forward for both the group and its customers, who will benefit enormously from all of the splendid facilities that we have incorporated into the design. The project will represent a first for the motor trade locally, as it will be the first bespoke motor park facility in our surrounding area.”

To view the progress of the Meridian Project, please visit www.meridianproject.com

15/05/04

Lloyds TSB Corporate Supports Multi-Million Pound Meridian Project

A Press Release in Conjunction with Lloyds TSB Bank plc

A STATE-of-the-art motor park development in Trowbridge is on course for completion in the autumn.

Multi-franchise dealer group Renrod Ltd is creating the multi-million-pound “Meridian Project” on a 5.25-acre site beside the White Horse Business Park.

The concept of the motor park - with four main dealerships operating on the same site - is a first for the area, while buildings will also include environmentally-friendly features such as rainwater storage tanks and water recycling facilities

Around 170 people will eventually be based at the Meridian Project’s Renault, Nissan, Vauxhall and Toyota dealerships.

Renrod Motor Group, which has other outlets in Bath, Bradford-on-Avon, Chippenham, Frome, Trowbridge and Warminster, also has permission to build two more office blocks, which would take the total number working on the site to nearly 250.

The firm is being supported throughout the project by its bank, Lloyds TSB Corporate, and its relationship director Clive Hetherington.

Managing director Rodney Cuff, who founded the business in 1975, said: “Our new site will provide an excellent resource for customers in terms of meeting their motoring requirements.

“It represents a colossal step forward for both the group and its customers, who will benefit enormously from all of the splendid facilities that we have incorporated into the design.”

”We have built up an excellent relationship with Clive Hetherington at Lloyds TSB Corporate and look forward to working with him on the Meridian Project as the group approaches its 30th anniversary.”

Clive Hetherington added: “Renrod Motor Group has become one of the leading multi-franchise dealerships in the country and we look forward to the completion of this exciting development.”

To view the progress of the Meridian Project, please visit www.meridianproject.com

11/05/04

Virtual Images Of New Development Unveiled

With the foundations laid for Renrod Motor Group’s “Meridian Project” in Trowbridge, a site meeting has recently taken place to inspect the structural steel work going up, marking an important landmark in this exciting development. However, you won’t have to wait until the autumn to see the finished result!

By visiting www.meridianproject.com not only can you view the build as it progresses through the phases of construction, the website is also displaying virtual images of how the four dealerships will look once they are complete. The Renrod Motor Group has been working in collaboration with Bath based BBA Architects and AIM (Architects In Motion) from Bristol to generate the images that show final impressions of the site.

Taking more than a month to create, the images have been generated from the architects’ plans and show the Vauxhall, Toyota, Renault and Nissan dealerships that are encompassed in the Meridian Project. The building work is due to be completed in the Autumn, but if you can’t wait that long to see the final product, the virtual photos can be viewed on the website now.

Jeremy Cuff, Group Marketing Director of Renrod Ltd said, “With such an important development for the group, it was important to be able to communicate the Meridian Project to customers, employees, the media and the wider community - which we’ve been able to achieve by building the Meridian Project website.”

“Rather than simply display architects line drawings, we decided to proceed with the creation of “photo real” views to show what the actual development will look like, months before it reaches completion. The painstaking work involves using the architects plans and creating virtual 3D versions from chosen angles. From there the images are worked up to a conclusion by adding more and more reality such as reflections, cars, people, foliage, sky and lighting.”

“The images are now available to view on our Meridian Project website together with other information about this state of the art development.”

The Meridian Project also encompasses much more than the utilization of computer based technology:

Rodney Cuff, Managing Director of Renrod Ltd commented, “The new site will provide an excellent resource for our customers and clients in terms of meeting their motoring requirements. We are also pleased that we have been able to incorporate environmentally sustainable solutions to some of the problems on the site and have been able to involve local companies in both the design and construction of the units.”
Nick Wood, Group Systems Manager for Renrod Ltd added, “The Meridian development will harness some of the latest IT technological advancements, facilitating for a fully scalable communications solution. The development will comprise of some of the most recent technologies available, at the cutting edge of business communications. Strategically the new systems will be at the forefront of IT technology, yet still allowing for the use of future developments within the communications arena.”

Paul Sanders owns Bristol based Sanders Creative Limited, who are responsible for designing the website in partnership with Renrod Ltd said, “People can drop in from anywhere in the world courtesy of this exciting website. With links to allow visitors to view the project and how it grows – from land purchase to final ribbon cutting, there is also information on careers and contact information as well 360 degree photographic views.”

He added, “Modern technology brings this state-of-the-art motor trade development into visitor’s living rooms whereby visitors can follow the progress of the build, whilst enjoying VIP treatment, avoiding the elements and the muddy environment of a building site undertaking major work.”

04/05/04

Virtual Visitors To New Site!

As foundations are laid for the new build of the Renrod Motor Group’s “Meridian Project” in Trowbridge, the structure is being put into place for an innovative website that will follow its progress.

The state-of-the-art motor trade development is being mirrored using modern technology to bring a visitor’s view into your living room. Interested parties can follow the progress of the build, whilst enjoying VIP treatment, avoiding the elements and the muddy environment of a building site undertaking major work.

Now that the Renrod Group has commenced work on its biggest project to date, they are building up to something special. Renrod's Group Developments Manager Mike Ratcliff said, "This development will represent a colossal step forward for both the group and its customers, who will benefit enormously from all of the splendid facilities that we have incorporated into the design”.

The Meridian Project is ideally situated on the outskirts of Wiltshire’s growing County Town of Trowbridge. It’s strategically located on a highly visible site with easy access to the surrounding towns of Westbury, Warminster, Bradford-on-Avon, Melksham, Devizes, Chippenham, Calne, Corsham, Frome, Midsomer Norton, Radstock and the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath. Major cities such as Bristol, Swindon and other M3, M4 and M5 based towns are also within easy reach of the Meridian development.

Road access is easy for visitors to the Trowbridge site but for anyone wanting to be a virtual visitor, there are no geographical boundaries. People can drop in from anywhere in the world courtesy of this exciting website. And whilst the architects work on the building site, the web designers will be working on their site. With links to allow visitors to view the project and how it grows – from land purchase to final ribbon cutting, there is also information on careers and contact information as well 360 degree photographic views.

Paul Sanders owns Bristol based Sanders Creative Limited who are responsible for designing the website in partnership with Renrod Ltd which can be viewed at www.meridianproject.com .
Mr Sanders said, “This is an exciting project for Sanders Creative Limited and we wanted to build a site that was very much in keeping with the project. The Meridian Project’s website will be a contemporary cutting edge site which will be very different from the average motor trade website. From looking at plans for the dealerships, you will be able to take the whole family along – it will be about more than just looking at cars. In the same way, we wanted the website to be contemporary but welcoming, we want it to be computer friendly for those that are savvy with using the internet as well as those who are not.”

02/04/04

Breaking New Ground

Contractors Drive Onto Site To Start Construction Of Four New Car Dealerships For The Renrod Motor Group

Work has started on the construction of four new car dealerships on the Meridian Business Park, Trowbridge. The project involves the building of four state of the art dealerships uniquely situated on a single site to house the Vauxhall, Nissan, Renault and Toyota brands. Regionally this is a unique concept and the Renrod Group are literally breaking new ground in this venture.

Recently, Rodney Cuff, Managing Director of Renrod Motor Group was joined by some members of the professional consultant team and the contractor (Adonis Construction) for the symbolic gesture that marked the commencement of the development.

Andy Higgs, Partner of King Sturge Project Management said “We are pleased that this challenging project has started on site. The team have had to overcome numerous problems to obtain the optimum design for the building. At the same time there have been environmental challenges associated with the site. These include retaining trees, providing a detailed landscaping scheme and utilising new environmentally friendly solutions where possible, such as an on site rainwater harvesting system and the diversion of a public right of way”.

The buildings have been designed by Bath based Architects, BBA who have been liasing with Renrod Motor Group personnel including Group Developments Manager, Mike Ratcliff, and have been instrumental in reconciling the range of needs of the various parties involved on the site.

When completed the site will form a landmark development on the approach to White Horse Business Park and will provide new opportunities for employment in the area. At the same time prospective purchasers will be able to compare and contrast various products to ensure that their aspirations are best met.

Rodney Cuff said “The new site will provide an excellent resource for our customers and clients in terms of meeting their motoring requirements. We are also pleased that we have been able to incorporate environmentally sustainable solutions to some of the problems on the site and have been able to involve local companies in both the design and construction of the units. The input we have received from our team of consultants has been instrumental in the success of the scheme to date and I look forward to seeing the development progress in the construction phase”.

The Meridian Project, as the Renrod Group will refer to this development, is scheduled for completion in October this year.

08/03/04

Renrod Group Begins Work On The Meridian Project

The Renrod Motor Group has commenced preliminary work for a state of the art motor park on the Meridian Business Park in Trowbridge.

Renrod's Group Developments Manager Mike Ratcliff said, "The site is now in the hands of our development partners Adonis who will bring the project to a completion in the autumn."

"This development will represent a colossal step forward for both the group and its customers, who will benefit enormously from all of the splendid facilities that we have incorporated into the design."

"The project will represent a first for the motor trade locally, as it will be the first bespoke motor park facility in our surrounding area."

The development, which is scheduled for completion in the autumn, will consist of four dealerships offering the Renault, Nissan, Vauxhall and Toyota brands.

Look out for further information on the progress of the development by visiting this website, or in future editions of our company magazines and supplements.