AR18: a one-stop shop with big plans

The story began 22 years ago when founder and managing director Antony Cockerell was a props builder for theatres. Asked whether he could build a concourse experiential unit for Lucky Strike, promoting the cigarette brand at airports associated with the 2003 Formula 1 series, he said yes. AR18 was born, the design agency involved remains a client and the rest, as they say, is history.

The early days

AR18 takes its name from the atomic number for the chemical element Argon, known for providing a protective atmosphere to allow things to grow, a clue to the creativity and innovation at the heart of the business. Like some of the most interesting companies, it spent its early years in a shed – at the end of Cockerell’s parents’ garden.

The company may have started out as a one-man-band, but today it boasts a 35-strong team and Cockerell has set his sights on building a sustainable future, in terms of both finances and the environment. Above all, he wants to keep his customers happy and believes he has achieved this through a blend of flexibility, innovation, reliability and consistency.

A one-stop-shop

AR18 is best known for its retail work. Its joinery can be seen in airport shops all over the world, helping promote and show off everything from alcohol to chocolates and beauty products. However, Cockerell is keen to stress the quality of the manufacture rather than the brand itself. He and his team, most of whom were trained in-house, are rightfully proud of their work. They are also proud of being early adopters of the best technology – including CNC, or computer numerical control, a manufacturing technique that uses software to control machine tools. AR18’s Homag Vantage 200 CNC unit is, Cockerell pointed out, “the sort of equipment you would usually find in Ikea, not in a small company [like this].” A highlight of any visit to the AR18 workshop must be watching the huge Homag wood store in action. This piece of automated machinery means there is no longer a need to move sheets of wood by forklift, significantly reducing wastage, potential damage to the wood and the risk of injury to staff.

AR18 works with London design agencies, “creatively the best in the world”, according to Cockerell. This enables the company to produce exactly what its customers want, whether that is giant displays of fake Smarties, sophisticated backdrops for alcohol brands or even bespoke furniture for private homes. It has its own print shop, which can produce posters and backgrounds of all shapes and sizes, and in a range of unusual textures and varnishes. Its metal shop can undertake everything from welding to fabrication.

As you walk through the workshops, it’s clear that this is very much a ‘from start to finish’ company. Cockerell is focused on future-proofing his business. One of the ways he has done this is by bringing all elements of production in-house. This means, he told Airports International, that he can control both the quality of the work and the meeting of deadlines. There are financial reasons, too. Cockerell explained that printing was initially sub-contracted out, but there came a time when such a big order came in that it was cheaper to buy a printer and do the work in-house. The same happened with metalwork and with lighting for displays. All these elements of the production process – brought in-house to save money – have now evolved to such a degree at AR18 that they surpass in quality what could be bought externally.

While retail may be the more visually appealing side of AR18’s production, the company is also very much focused on the more practical equipment found in airports. An example of this can be found just six miles away at London Heathrow. AR18 is manufacturing 150 redress tables for the airport’s security lanes. This is ‘form and function’ in practice. The tables are plain but elegant. However, there is more to them than meets the eye. Each is lined with metal, and ASIAD compliant (ASIAD are Aviation Security in Airport Development guidelines, issued by the UK Department for Transport, to help make airports safer and more resistant to terrorist attacks).

Modular shops

For AR18, innovation goes beyond individual items. The company has set its sights on developing modular shops for airports – ‘shops in a box’, if you like. These were inspired by a previous travel retail client of Ian Moore, an AR18 non-executive director, who was concerned by the challenges faced by regional airports keen to expand their retail offerings. As soon as the successful duty free operator receives the keys to a retail space, they start paying fees. It could take three to five months to fit out the shop, during which time they are without retail income. AR18’s solution is to develop, build and ship a shop in a container to any part of the world, a modular unit that three people could have up and running in a short time. It could be branded, even to the extent of having wall bays branded – and paid for – by product suppliers. Cockerell and Moore are excited by the units’ potential. They believe the modular shops could revolutionise travel retail, particularly for smaller airports.

The heart of the firm

Staff turnover at AR18 is low. It’s a friendly place to work and staff wellbeing is a priority. Team members are offered an extra half hour’s break at lunch if they want to exercise. In summer, Cockerell told Airports International, AR18 staff can be seen running along the local canal tow path. The company is committed to developing its staff and would like to see apprentices make up at least ten per cent of the workforce. Mentorship is encouraged and staff who join in a junior capacity are expected to progress until they are sufficiently experienced to mentor new recruits.

This commitment to its team extends to involving them in plans for an especially exciting development – AR18’s new purpose-built base.

Healthy building, healthy staff

Cockerell explained why a move is on the cards, saying: “After COVID-19, our landlord decided to put the rent up by 50%. We sat down as a company and asked how we could mitigate the risk of these types of financial shocks.” He added: “We’ve worked so hard to build a good, stable, reliable company that these outside influences are not helpful.”

The lease on the current workshops expires in March 2026, so the hunt for suitable – and affordable – premises began. None were found but Cockerell’s father spotted a piece of land for auction. On the grey belt and dotted with rusting cars, it was daunting but affordable.

The decision to build was easy. Cockerell explained: “All the units we were looking at were just steel sheds, and we didn’t want that. We didn’t want that for our staff. We didn’t want that for our customers. We didn’t want that for our future generations. This is an opportunity for us to show that industrial design can be done differently. It can be done sustainably. It can be a really nice environment to work in.”

Local architect Kenny Fraser has designed the building, which will be built by a local construction firm. Cockerell is keen that the build be a flagship project for all concerned. The team has given a great deal of thought to the environmental and societal implications of the new space, from utilising land that has long been an eyesore, to choosing a location within cycling or even walking distance of many staff members’ homes. Situated in Kings Langley, the new facility has excellent transport links.

AR18’s new headquarters will be built to the highest environmental standards – the team is aiming for BREEAM Outstanding certification. For more details, and photos of the project as it progresses, watch this space! We look forward to updating you in forthcoming issues of Airports International.