How BUNKER turned modular storage into a self-service buying experience

The Story

BUNKER is a modular storage brand within Draper Tools. Launched in 2022, the brand was created to serve customers looking for flexible, high-quality storage solutions.

Since launch, BUNKER has expanded from garage and workshop storage into additional areas, including van storage solutions and stackable site boxes for construction environments.

Although part of the Draper Group, BUNKER operates as its own brand, allowing customers to use Bunker products regardless of which tools they own.

The Challenge: Helping customers see the possibilities

BUNKER's product range was always designed to be modular. Customers could mix and match different components to create a storage setup that matched their own needs.

However, many customers did not realize how much flexibility they had.

"Initially, it was very much a case of it comes as a 25-piece or a 14-piece. You can buy individual components, but no one really truly knew that you could actually take that whole range and build your own custom design." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

When customers wanted something more customized, BUNKER's team could help create bespoke layouts manually. But the process depended heavily on internal resources and was difficult to scale.

The bigger challenge was helping customers turn an idea into something they could actually see.

"They needed help shaping their vision and what it looked like, which is what led us to going to market and trying to find a supplier who could bring what we had in our mind to fruition." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

BUNKER needed a way for customers to explore the possibilities themselves while still receiving support when they were ready to buy.

Finding the right solution

BUNKER knew a 3D configurator could help customers experience the flexibility of the product range in a completely different way.

The team explored available solutions on the market and evaluated several vendors. VividWorks stood out through its engaging demo, strong understanding of BUNKER's goals, and the quality of the proposed solution.

"The pitch was really good, it was very engaging, the rapport felt right, and the ethos between what VividWorks could do against what we were looking for just sort of fit." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

The Solution: Turning ideas into real designs

Working with VividWorks, BUNKER launched an online 3D configurator with room planning capabilities.

Customers can now create storage solutions for their own spaces and see how their finished setup will look before moving forward.

How the configurator works:

✅ Explore all available options and build designs by selecting the units that suit your space

✅ Experiment with different cabinet, drawer, and accessory combinations

✅ Use 3D room planning to visualize storage in your actual space

✅ Download and save designs with a ready-to-order specification with product information and stock numbers

✅ Request a quote

Take a look at BUNKER's modular storage solutions and see the configurator in action.

Results: Making custom design easier to scale

The result is a smoother journey from inspiration to purchase.

Instead of waiting for someone internally to create a design, customers can start building their own solution immediately and share the final specification with BUNKER or one of its stockists.

"They could do it in the live environment, put it together, and then immediately have something that might have taken up nearly a week to put together for them." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

Previously, creating a bespoke design required someone internally to understand the request, create the layout, and turn the idea into something visual. Now, customers can start that process themselves.

"If someone was working on multiple custom designs at any one time, it could quite easily take a week. With the configurator, it doesn't matter because you can just have anyone go onto the website and start building it." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

For BUNKER, the benefit is not only about saving time. Customers now arrive with a clearer idea of what they want, allowing the team to spend more time supporting them through the final stages of the purchase.

"It allows people to be more self-efficient and to actually be able to do things at a quicker pace than if they were relying on us to actually be able to do it for them." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

The response from customers has shown that the configurator is helping people better understand and use the flexibility of the product range.

"We know based on the feedback we've been given by our customers, by the general public, just general word of mouth, that the configurator has really improved people's ability to self-serve and design their own workshops." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

Working with VividWorks

For BUNKER, choosing a technology partner was about finding a team that could understand the idea behind the product not just build the software.

The project required close collaboration between both teams to bring a complex product range into a simple customer experience. For Tim, the quality of the final result is what matters most.

"The end result has been fantastic. I think most people we've spoken to would just take a claim that it's in terms of the precision of it and how it looks - it's just top-notch." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

He believes the quality of the configurator is what sets it apart.

"In terms of the quality of the work and what we've delivered, it's brilliant. I maintain it's probably one of the best ones that I've ever seen." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

Tim also highlights the positive relationship between the teams throughout the project.

"The people we've dealt with have been lovely. I've never had an issue with any of the conversations that I've had with any representation from VividWorks." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

Ultimately, for Tim, the product itself is what defines the success of the project.

"You could deliver the best service, but if the product at the end isn't very good, then it counts for nothing. It's much easier to work on the service delivered than it is the product you deliver at the end." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

Looking ahead

For BUNKER, the configurator is only the beginning. The team plans to continue adding more products, improving the experience, and finding new ways to help customers create their ideal storage solutions.

"We still have a lot more that we want to add to the configurator. We think over a period of time, it's really going to support what we're trying to achieve with Bunker." - Tim Blake, BUNKER

BUNKER's story shows how 3D configuration can help manufacturers turn complex product ranges into easier, more engaging buying experiences giving customers a way to explore ideas that were previously difficult to visualize.

Design your own storage solution

Ready to see what's possible? Try the BUNKER Designer and start building the storage solution that fits your space.

Create a similar experience for your customers

‍Thinking about a 3D configurator for your own product range? Get in touch with us today to talk through your ideas and get practical advice.