We arrived at a new project in Slovenia with a clear plan. Day one went as it always does — frame assembly, measuring out the hall, well-practised routines. Everything ran as it should. Until, late in the day, the hall manager brought us information nobody had given us before.
An Uncommunicated Requirement That Surfaced on Site
The hall manager’s requirement was clear: before plugging anything into the power supply, we needed a PRCD-S portable residual current device, wired between the socket and the tool as the first link in the circuit — without it, the operator would not allow a single device to be connected. Nobody had mentioned it before the project began.
We could have panicked. We could have started an email round about whose fault it was and who should have passed it on. Instead, we started solving.
An operator’s internal rules don’t always make it into the brief — the first to deal with them is the crew on site. That is partly why we have our own electricians: electrical requirements, from PRCD-S devices to mobile racking, are handled as part of the installation.
Two Online Shops in the Country — and a One-Week Lead Time
This was no ordinary part. In the whole of Slovenia only two online shops had it in stock; in the Czech Republic and neighbouring countries it was unavailable. We called both — earliest delivery a week away. Far too late: the project would have stood still all week.
So we took the most direct route: one of our people drove straight to the shop’s warehouse, picked the device up, paid and brought it back. Installation continued. No delays, no excuses, no day wasted.
It is not the first time we have sorted unavailable equipment ourselves — see a similar story about a specialised tool in Germany in our article on unexpected problems during racking installation.
How We Proceed When a Critical Part Is Missing on Site
Three steps, always in the same order:
- Map real availability. Who physically has the part in stock — not “available to order”. In Slovenia: exactly two sources.
- Evaluate the options. Delivery, own pickup, or an alternative part approved by the designer. A one-week lead time is “certainty in a week”; driving to the warehouse is “certainty today”.
- Decide by schedule impact. If the whole crew risks standing idle, the active solution wins — one drive is negligible against a week of a stalled project.
What to Take Away
The difference between downtime and a kept deadline is the team’s response. Same situation, two approaches:
| Situation | Average crew | JTB approach |
|---|---|---|
| Uncommunicated client requirement | Argues about whose fault it is; work stops | Treats it as fact and maps a solution the same day |
| Part with a one-week lead time | Places an order and waits for delivery | Evaluates the options and collects the part itself |
| Looming downtime | Pushes back the handover date | Re-sequences the work and keeps the schedule |
Unexpected obstacles are part of every large project — we treat them as part of the trade. When a problem appears, we don’t ask “can this even be done?” but “how do we solve it so everyone is happy?”. Because at JTB, nothing is impossible.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does JTB do when material or a part is missing on site?
We map real stock availability, evaluate options including own pickup, and decide by schedule impact. Instead of waiting a week in Slovenia, one of our people collected the missing PRCD-S device directly from the shop’s warehouse.
How do you prevent delays caused by uncommunicated requirements?
Before installation we walk through site readiness with the customer: hall access, floor condition, electrical connections and the operator’s internal rules. There is no hundred-percent insurance — the second half of prevention is a crew that starts solving immediately.
Can a single missing part stop an entire racking installation?
Yes, if it blocks the steps that follow — typically electrical work, anchoring or connectors. Speed of response decides: map availability within hours and keep working on everything that doesn’t need the part, so the critical path never stops.
Related reading: 5 Mistakes That Delay Warehouse Racking Projects (and How to Avoid Them) — the most common causes of delays and practical prevention for your installation.
JTB STORAGE — warehouse racking installation across more than 16 European countries. Contact us for a consultation on your project.