Home FleetWatch 2015 Imperial awards R160m contract to Resolve Capacity

Imperial awards R160m contract to Resolve Capacity

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Breaking ground - the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2015

A R160 million contract to design and project manage the development of a state of the art, 25 500m² cold storage has been awarded to Resolve Capacity by Imperial.

Resolve Capacity director Arno Haigh says that “the facility will meet the company’s need for additional storage space. Its development comes on the heels of Imperial’s recently concluded contract with McCain, which will see the group distributing some 190 000 tons of frozen vegetables annually, as well as providing world class warehousing for the frozen foods leader”, he explains.

“Resolve Capacity has been contracted to design and manage this challenging retro-fit to a brand new building, to change its usage from ambient to freezer facilities at typical -20°Celsius. To meet the needs of Imperial Cold Logistics and McCain, we will deliver a customised cold storage facility with six high density storage areas, two standard racking chambers ranging from -20° to -30° Celsius and receiving and despatch areas at either +2° or -8° Celsius. Excellent space utilisation and high pallet density will be achieved through the use of mobile and static racking systems,” Haigh explains. He notes that the optimisation of space is crucial due to the high cost of refrigeration storage, and says that this facility will achieve 2.2 pallets per m².

He says the company will design and project manage the warehouse’s internal layout as well as all materials storage and handling equipment. “Resolve Capacity will also manage tender evaluation and awarding, and thereafter, design and implement coordination between the construction team and developer. Integration is critical due to the bespoke nature of the facilities,” he stresses.

The optimization of space is critical due to the high cost of refrigeration storage
The optimization of space is critical due to the high cost of refrigeration
storage

Procurement and installation, managing the fit out of the facility, site services, flow and reticulation, and coordinating the insulation, refrigeration and fire prevention systems, are also part of the contract.

Sustainability is a key element of the project and the facility design incorporates green building initiatives that include water harvesting from condensation, rain water harvesting and a water treatment plant. “The warehouse also features a low cost and highly efficient ammonia refrigeration plant, which capitalises on ammonia’s benefits as a natural, green refrigerant gas,” says Haigh. Low energy, high efficiency light fittings and occupation activated lighting also form part of the facility’s green design.

Other significant features of the warehouse are its high tech security systems and innovative fire protection system. Maximum storage flexibility for various pallet sizes has been achieved by utilising gas type fire protection versus a dry pipe sprinkler. This will be the second largest facility in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) protected by a non-lethal fire extinguishing gas.

Materials will be sourced from South Africa and further afield including Malaysia, Austria, Germany, America and the United Kingdom. More than three kilometres of refrigeration piping will be installed, along with 170 000m of heater mat wire, 22 airlock dispatch doors and 12 airlock receiving doors. The facility will house some 55 000 pallets under one roof and boast a 3.1 Megawatt installed refrigeration capacity.

 

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