sbh.uk - Industrial Development - Ellesmere Port
Date: 18 Jun 2002
Distribution property specialist sbh.uk has successfully project managed a new 37,464 sq m warehouse for General Motors, handing over the first phase of build just 20 weeks from starting work on site. The project included 1,824 sq m of offices, a further 6,000 sq m of canopies, 43 loading doors and docks and other external works, was finished within a total build of 25 weeks.
Vauxhall has invested £200m in new equipment and upgraded facilities to raise production capacity in Ellesmere Port to almost 185,000 units pa, and as part of one of the most complex automotive supply chain management projects in Europe, the warehouse will support production of the Astra and new Vectra ranges. Components and sub-assemblies will be picked in the correct production sequence and delivered directly to the line. Ryder will operate the building on behalf of Vauxhall.
From April 2001 sbh.uk designed the building, obtained planning permission and issued tenders all in less than 12 weeks, which with the speed of build made it one of the fastest instruction-to-completion warehouse projects ever in the UK. Starting on site only 55 days after instruction, the first phase of 20,000 sq m was completed in just 75 days. As the site sloped by 6m, the project schedule had to allow three weeks for site levelling work before construction could start.
The most modern materials were used to help speed construction, including 12 acres of composite panelled cladding for the roof and elevations, covering the main frame, which used 1,200 tonnes of steel. With a height of 12m and clear internal spans of 40m, the structure will comfortably accommodate the latest storage and handling equipment and will provide a highly flexible cube of space.
The building has been fitted out with heating, automated lighting, security systems and an Early Suppression Fast Response (ESFR) sprinkler system, all to General Motors’ World Wide Risk Management specifications.
sbh.uk specified a number of energy-efficient cost saving features in the new building. A full Building Energy Management System (BEMS) controls lighting throughout the site, manages gas and electricity consumption and all mechanical environmental systems.
High frequency luminaries help reduce energy consumption. Gas fired heating in the warehouse pressurises the building to minimise and manage cold and fresh air intake, and gas fired Combi boilers in the offices serve both hot water and heating needs. By providing hot water only when required, the Combi system eliminates energy loss from bulk hot water storage and removes a major source of legionella.
Rainwater is collected and stored in a 12,000 litre underground tank for toilets and cleaners’ sinks, reducing utility costs and providing an example of environmental responsibility.
The unit is located on a 21acre (8.5 ha) site adjoining the existing Ellesmere Port plant and has parking space for 270 cars and 60 goods vehicles. Loading and dispatch facilities include a mix of level access and dock doors on three sides of the building.
Related website: sbh.uk
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