Structured Cabling, Wi-Fi, CCTV & Access Control Fit-Out for a Marine Technology Manufacturer
A Portsmouth warehouse cabling installation that transformed a 17,000 sq ft Cat A shell into a fully connected Cat B facility for an autonomous drone boat manufacturer, delivered across a six-week phased installation with zero safety incidents.
ACCL was awarded the contract to design, supply and install a complete smart infrastructure solution for an American-owned marine technology manufacturer’s new 17,000 sq ft UK headquarters in Portsmouth. Delivered across a challenging six-week phased installation, the project transformed a Cat A warehouse shell into a fully connected, secure Cat B facility with high-level structured cabling, enterprise Wi-Fi, CCTV surveillance and integrated access control.
The result
ACCL delivered a complete smart infrastructure fit-out across a live, multi-trade Cat A to Cat B conversion. The completed project provided the client with:
- Full smart-building fit-out from a Cat A shell
- High-level cabling secured to a 12.4m steel frame
- New Excel 24U comms cabinet installed
- 8 Aruba Wi-Fi APs surveyed and positioned
- 9 Avigilon CCTV cameras installed
- Avigilon access control across 9 access points
- Zero safety incidents across the six-week programme
- Bespoke bracketry engineered for the building’s external façade, since standard fixings would not fit
Services delivered
Overview
The American-owned marine technology manufacturer, which specialises in autonomous drone boats, selected Portsmouth for its new UK headquarters, drawn by the city’s maritime heritage, proximity to naval facilities and access to marine engineering expertise. The company needed a facility combining high-bay warehouse space for drone boat assembly and testing with modern office accommodation for its engineering and operations teams.
The 17,000 sq ft building, with 12.4-metre-high ceilings and metal-framework infrastructure, was delivered as a Cat A shell. ACCL was appointed to help transform it into a fully connected, secure Cat B facility with enterprise-grade networking, wireless-first connectivity, comprehensive CCTV surveillance and integrated access control.
“ACCL delivered a complex high-level infrastructure installation in a live multi-trade environment, on schedule, with zero safety incidents, and to a specification that positions our operations for long-term growth.”
The client’s leadership team
The challenge
This was a high-security, technically complex fit-out running inside a live Cat A to Cat B conversion. ACCL had to deliver a full structured cabling, Wi-Fi, CCTV and access control installation while coordinating around multiple other trades working on the same site at the same time.
Most of the cabling and security equipment had to be installed at height, secured to the building’s 12.4-metre metal framework using cherry pickers and suspended access platforms, which meant health and safety planning had to be rigorous and trades carefully coordinated around every area ACCL was working in.
The building’s external façade design meant standard mounting brackets would not fit the CCTV cameras or Wi-Fi access points, and every wall penetration required permission, since the building’s cavities were fire-rated and watertight and had to be reinstated correctly once systems were fitted.
Survey, design and a three-phase delivery plan
ACCL carried out a full site survey, including a wireless survey using Ekahau technology, to assess the infrastructure requirements and design the optimal solution. The survey confirmed that the building’s unique external façade would need bespoke mounting solutions for the CCTV cameras and wireless access points, a challenge ACCL’s in-house engineering team was well placed to solve.
The project was structured across three distinct phases, each requiring close coordination with the other trades working simultaneously on the Cat A to Cat B conversion:
- Phase 1: structured data cabling, installed at high level and secured to the building’s metal framework, with the Excel 24U comms cabinet installed on the mezzanine floor.
- Phase 2: CCTV and Wi-Fi infrastructure, including the bespoke external bracketry needed for the building’s façade.
- Phase 3: the Avigilon access control system, integrated with the CCTV platform.
Project context
Marine technology manufacturing & office facility · Portsmouth
Warehouse structured cabling →Fitting out a warehouse or industrial facility?
ACCL designed and installed a complete cabling, Wi-Fi, CCTV and access control solution for a 17,000 sq ft Cat A to Cat B conversion, including bespoke engineering for a non-standard building façade. If your facility fit-out needs the same level of planning, a site survey is the place to start.
Phase 1: cabling secured to the steelwork, 12.4 metres up
ACCL’s technicians installed the structured data cabling at height, secured directly to the building’s exposed metal framework using cherry pickers and suspended access platforms. Each run was clipped and routed down the full 12.4-metre height of the warehouse to the Excel 24U comms cabinet, installed on the mezzanine floor.
Working at that height inside a live, multi-trade Cat A to Cat B conversion meant every lift movement had to be planned around the other contractors on site, delivered without a single safety incident across the phase.
Bespoke engineering for a non-standard façade
The building’s external façade could not accept standard mounting brackets, so ACCL’s in-house engineering team designed and fabricated custom bracketry to enable CCTV cameras and Wi-Fi access points to be fitted securely to the exterior. Seven Avigilon multi-sensor cameras were installed across the warehouse, with two further dome cameras covering the reception area and comms room.
Every wall penetration this required was permissioned in advance, and fire-rated, watertight integrity was reinstated across each cavity wall installation to meet building regulations.
Core network infrastructure powering a wireless-first facility
The client operates a Wi-Fi-first policy, prioritising wireless connectivity over traditional wired infrastructure across the site. ACCL deployed eight Aruba enterprise access points, positioned according to the Ekahau survey results to deliver comprehensive coverage and capacity across the full 17,000 sq ft facility.
The same wireless-first approach shaped the CCTV and access control design, so all three systems could be managed together rather than as separate installations.
Phase 3: access control across nine points of entry
The final phase brought CCTV and access control together under a single Avigilon platform. ACCL installed an 8-channel access control CPU managing readers across nine points of entry: five internal doors, two roller shutters and two emergency push-to-exit doors, each commissioned and tested individually before handover.
Integrating access control with the CCTV system already installed in Phase 2 gave the client one platform to manage security and entry across the whole facility, rather than separate systems to administer.
Technologies used
ACCL’s role
This project required far more than installing individual systems in isolation. ACCL provided the client with a complete smart infrastructure fit-out service, including:
- Full site survey and infrastructure audit
- Wireless survey using Ekahau technology
- High-level structured cabling installation at 12.4m
- Installation of the Excel 24U comms cabinet
- ISP service extension to the mezzanine comms room
- Design and fabrication of bespoke external bracketry
- Installation of 8 Aruba Wi-Fi access points
- Installation of 9 Avigilon CCTV cameras
- Installation of the Avigilon 8-channel access control system
- Wall penetration permissions and fire-rated reinstatement
- Installation of intelligent PDUs and UPS units
- Phased delivery across three stages in six weeks
- Design of the cabling, Wi-Fi, CCTV and access control solution
- Multi-trade coordination across a live Cat A to Cat B conversion
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Related guidance
Foreword by Wayne
“This project was won on a tender, and the brief was genuinely tough: high-level cabling, a façade that rejected every standard fixing we had, and a live Cat A to Cat B conversion with several other trades on site at once. Nothing about it could be improvised. We surveyed thoroughly, including a full Ekahau wireless survey, designed and built our own bracketry for the exterior systems, and sequenced three phases of work around everyone else on that programme. Getting through all of that with zero safety incidents, on schedule, is exactly the outcome we plan for on every high-level, multi-trade job.”Wayne Connors, Managing Director, ACCL
Frequently asked questions
What was the scope of this project?
Design and installation of a complete structured cabling, Wi-Fi, CCTV and access control solution for a marine technology manufacturer’s new 17,000 sq ft UK facility in Portsmouth, delivered as part of a Cat A to Cat B fit-out.
Why was the installation carried out at height?
The structured cabling needed to be secured to the building’s 12.4-metre-high metal framework, so ACCL’s certified technicians used cherry pickers and suspended access platforms throughout Phase 1.
How many Wi-Fi access points were installed?
Eight Aruba enterprise access points, positioned using an Ekahau wireless survey to support the client’s Wi-Fi-first connectivity policy.
How much CCTV coverage was installed?
Nine Avigilon cameras in total: seven multi-sensor cameras across the warehouse and two dome cameras covering the reception area and comms room.
What access control was installed?
An Avigilon 8-channel access control CPU managing nine access points across the facility: five internal doors, two roller shutters and two emergency push-to-exit doors.
Why was bespoke bracketry needed?
The building’s external façade could not accept standard mounting brackets, so ACCL’s engineering team designed and fabricated custom bracketry to mount the CCTV cameras and Wi-Fi access points securely.
How long did the project take?
The installation was delivered across three phases over six weeks, timed to fit around the building’s wider Cat A to Cat B conversion.
What cabling standard was used?
Leviton Category 6A cabling throughout, supporting 10 Gigabit Ethernet for long-term capacity.
How did ACCL manage building compliance during installation?
ACCL secured the necessary permissions for external wall penetrations and ensured fire-rated, watertight integrity was reinstated across every cavity wall installation.
Were there any safety incidents during the high-level works?
None. All work at height was completed without a single safety incident.
Why was ACCL awarded the project?
Through a competitive tender process, on the strength of its experience delivering complex multi-trade Cat A to Cat B conversions and integrated smart infrastructure solutions.
Fitting out a warehouse or industrial site of your own?
Talk to the team that delivered a full cabling, Wi-Fi, CCTV and access control fit-out for a 17,000 sq ft Cat A to Cat B conversion, with bespoke engineering for a non-standard building and zero safety incidents.
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