Case Study: Inside a Large Scale Trading Floor Installation
About the client:
Our client is one of the world's largest financial services companies, providing investment management, asset servicing and other financial services to institutions and investors around the globe.
When they upgraded their London trading floor, they needed desks that supported their traders to stay comfortable and focused. Each desk also had to accommodate plenty of specialist tech and equipment.
Challenges
All the trading desks were height adjustable with the PCs housed beneath each desktop. As the desktops were raised, we needed to ensure the cables connecting the monitors to the PCs remained securely plugged in at all times.
The PC cabinets needed to accommodate larger sized ‘tower’ PCs used by the traders.
The desks would need to support multiple large monitors.
Traders would also be using two PCs, so needed extra ports and sockets to accommodate that.
Each desk had to support a lot of specialist tech and equipment along with multiple cables.
Traders work long hours, so the desks needed to be comfortable and durable.
Solutions
We designed special PC housing that attaches to the underside of the desk. When the desk is raised, the PC cabinet moves up with it. This means the client can use standard length cables, which are cheaper and more reliable than long cables.
We installed our DT11 Max housing, which is specially designed to accommodate larger sized PCs. It’s also big enough to contain two PCs.
The traders needed to use two tiers of monitors. We fitted all the desks with our specialist Smartarm monitor arms. These had extensions so a second tier of monitors could be fitted.
Each desk was fitted with Technology Links desktop power units. These have power sockets and ports for more than one PC. They have plenty of USB ports along with LAN and microphone sockets. The Technology Links units we installed were bespoke. We customised them for the client's data and power needs.
All the desks had sliding desktops giving technicians access to the cables and sockets below without having to dismantle anything. This meant maintenance and upgrades could occur with minimal disruption, which is critical in a fast-paced trading floor environment.
Technology Desking integrated below desk electrical sockets into the design, along with RCBO circuit protection housed within the side termination panels.
The desks we installed were made in the UK with high-quality, durable materials. The high specifications meant that they could withstand long hours of use.
Durable desktops
Traders work long hours, so the desks had to be durable to withstand this. We supplied desks with laminate surfaces. Laminate is highly scratch and dent resistant. It’s also resistant to moisture and staining, so a few tea spillages won’t be a problem.
The desks had polyurethane edging. This creates a softer desk edge to rest your elbows on and has a premium look. Polyurethane fingerholds below the desktop allow users to pull themselves towards the desk.
Dynamic PC housing
Each of the trading desks was fitted with dynamic PC housing that is attached to the desktop and moves up and down with a height adjustable desk. An advantage of this is that it provides seated access to the computer when the desk is raised. Technicians can easily access PCs without having to crawl under the desk. It also means standard monitor cable lengths can be specified, avoiding the expense of buying specialist cables. Infrastructure such as power sockets, data, RCDs and cabling can also be located and managed in this one housing.
Specialist monitor arms
We fitted each trading desk with our smartarm monitor arms. These are designed for multiple screen setups. They allow monitor configurations to be easily arranged or adjusted. Extensions for extra monitors can be added with no disruption to existing monitors. It’s also quick and easy to remove monitors. Traders can adjust their monitors to portrait or landscape orientation too.
The Result
Technology Desking successfully installed 187 desks, helping to create a modern, professional trading environment for the client. Specialist PC housing meant the desks supported the larger computers used by traders. The housing also made installing and maintaining computers easier, creating less disruption for the traders’ focused work. Features such as height-adjustable desks and flexible monitor arms helped create comfortable, personalised workspaces.
Planning a trading desk installation or office refurbishment? Contact us to learn how we can deliver bespoke desk solutions tailored to your operational needs.
