Cool construction solution for Wiseman Dairy

By specifying a Kingspan solution for the Wiseman Dairy project, construction time has been dramatically reduced and safety enhanced.

Food storage and distribution has become a fast growing sector for the construction industry according to market experts.

The major dairies are engaged on some ambitious projects and food retailers are developing purpose-built Internet distribution centres.

The emphasis is on fast-track design and build projects, which put buildings into operation sooner and provide the customer with the income opportunities earlier.

Methods of construction are also changing, with the external fabric of cold stores and distribution centres featuring high insulation "envelopes" cutting build time, reducing completion costs and meeting the latest building regulations regarding air leakage and U-values.

These in turn will reduce the occupiers' energy operating expenses and minimise fiscal environmental penalties.

One vital site health and safety issue is that of handling the long, prefabricated insulated panels used on construction projects.

Europe's largest roofing and cladding contractor, Briggs, successfully used the latest Oktopus GA-V panel lifting machine from Dedicated Sales and Services of Droitwich, to install 9000 metres of Kingspan insulated panels.

The contract was a 20,000 m2 dairy project by major building contractor, John Mowlem and Company , for national milk processor and distributor Robert Wiseman Dairies plc.

The £12.5 million Wiseman Dairy project, at Stonebridge Cross, Droitwich, commenced last February and is due to be completed on schedule, within twelve months.

Kingspan panels employed on the Wiseman project exemplify current moves towards fast-track construction methods and "total building envelope" solutions, in line with revised building regulations.

The trapezoidal roof panels and architectural wall panels feature coated steel sheets sandwiching a fire-rated urethane core, with a foodsafe internal surface especially developed for dairies, food processing plants and similar hygiene applications.

These factory-made composite panels were fully integrated into the structural steel framework; forming a total building envelope with excellent thermal insulation properties, extremely low air leakage and no cold bridges or condensation traps.

The use of pre-engineered panels cuts build time -compared with site assembled built-up systems, and ensures siteworks installation to exact project specifications, at the same time helping to meet new "as built" construction quality standards.

In the end by specifying a Kingspan solution for the Wiseman Dairy project, construction time has been dramatically reduced, safety enhanced - with panels forming a secure working platform as soon as they were fixed to the building structure - build quality heightened and there is the prospect for the owners of major long-term energy savings.

Back to top