Pacific Fair’s Gucci designers expand
SHOP-FITTING business Projects Queensland – which boasts Rolex, Gucci, Cartier and Christian Dior as clients – is expanding its Molendinar base and unveiling a new management structure.
Perth-based managing director Brad Dunne, who started the company when building kitchen cabinets in his Chirn Park home nearly 30 years ago, said the changes are part of long-term planning for the company.
The footprint of the Molendinar headquarters at 17 Geary Cres has been expanded by 200 sqm for administration space and a “matrix” management structure implemented, whereby each division is assigned its own general manager.
Mr Dunne said he did not want a traditional management structure, with one general manager overseeing all departments.
“That gives the general manager too much of a role to play,” he said.
“This way works so well because you enable each manager to have autonomy so they can work on the efficiencies in their own departments.”
Mr Dunne said he wants the company to outlast him.
“We want to look not to the short term but to the long term,” he said.
“The expansion of the headquarters is about providing a healthy work environment.”
Projects Queensland, which has 50-60 staff on the Gold Coast, has divisions including maintenance, production and projects.
It carries out about 100 “significant fit-out projects” each year, mainly on the east coast and Perth.
This year it won the 2018 Best Interior fit-out $1 million and over award for Gucci at Pacific Fair.
Mr Dunne said the 2016 Pacific Fair job, which was worth $2 million, took three months – a comparatively short amount of time.
“They can take up to 20 weeks, so this one was not a long time frame,” he said.
He said the process follows a strict structure, starting with the tendering process, then moving to refining the design, and finally mobilising on site, including engaging tradies to do the work.
“What is behind that is a structure that is nothing short of a work of art,” he said.
“Clients such as Gucci require specially-sourced stone and granite, curved glass, and other fittings, that cannot be ordered within a short space of time.
“We have to ensure that we take the lead time into account so we have that material available to us to meet the deadline. Through the process we are keeping the client, wherever they are, completely updated.”
Mr Dunne said luxury retailers will rarely be willing to delay a shop opening, so everything has to go to plan “whatever occurs”.