Leading parcel firm DPD has today confirmed that it plans to build a new £100m parcel hub at Hinckley Commercial Park in the East Midlands.

The company has appointed property group Goodman to develop a 330,000 sq ft parcel hub on the site, close to J1 of the M69. Subject to planning permission being granted, the facility will create up to 1,000 new, permanent full-time jobs in the area when fully operational in 2015. DPD hopes to begin building work in September of this year.

The project is part of investment plans announced by DPD in November 2012 and follows a period of unprecedented growth for the parcel carrier, thanks to its unique Predict service which provides customers with a one-hour delivery window so they do not have to wait in all day for their parcel. The company won a record £70m of new business from online retailers in 2012 off the back of Predict. More than 97 per cent of the millions of parcels delivered each year with Predict are delivered 'right first time', meaning fewer wasted trips for drivers redelivering parcels or customers having to go to the depot to pick up a missed delivery.

The new hub, which will be the largest of its kind in Europe, will be capable of handling 70,000 parcels an hour and will increase DPD's overall parcel capacity by 65%. In total, the site will cover an area the size of 19 football pitches (33 acres) while the hub building itself will be around 470 metres long.

The Hinckley site was chosen primarily because it provides the optimum location in terms of motorway links for the whole of the UK. However, developing a major hub site in the East Midlands also has other strategically significant long term benefits. DPD's three other hubs are all located in the West Midlands around Smethwick where there is potentially less scope for major increases in capacity on the road network in future and the firm is already one of the largest employers.

Dwain McDonald, DPD CEO, said; "It is very exciting to be able to announce our plans for the East Midland hub today. This is fantastic news for DPD, the region and our customers. DPD is the fastest growing parcel company in the UK and I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the past few years. But we aren't standing still. We are investing significantly in the brand and delivering the network capacity we are going to need in the future for our customers. By continuing to invest in infrastructure and technology we will secure not only the 6,700 jobs we already provide in the UK, but also create another 1,500 new jobs across the UK in the next two years.

"This is a long term strategic decision, based on our success in recent years and our projections for the online retail channel. Retailers really like Predict because it helps ensure their deliveries get to their customers first time, and in turn that encourages more repeat purchases. Our network capacity is fine at the moment but we need to make sure that, as demand increases from our customers, we have the potential for growth and we have more flexibility to handle increased capacity right across our network."

In November 2012 the company announced a £175m package of investment which also included the refurbishment of two existing hubs and a major expansion of its nationwide network of depots including ten new depots over the next 15 months. Other investments include the replacement of all the handheld devices used by drivers for route optimisation and parcel administration and ongoing investment in security and IT upgrades.

- Ends -

DPD PR source: http://www.dpd.co.uk/content/about/news.jsp

For further information please contact:

Gordon, Liz or Jason at MAW Communications (www.mawcomms.co.uk) on 01603 505 845.

For more details on sbh’s project management and corporate client property services contact Andy Melvin on 01992 780000 or andy.melvin@sbh.co.uk

The major logistics provider Dachser Ltd has signed a deal with developer Roxhill to move its Northampton operation and UK HQ to Roxhill’s Brackmills Point development. The new facility will provide additional capacity to support the continued growth in the company’s UK/European distribution as well as contracts logistics business.

The 16.38 acre site will accommodate 225,000 sq. ft. in 2 phases. Phase 1 will be 199,000 sq. ft. including 114,000 sq. ft. of warehouse, 64,000 sq. ft. of cross-docking facility, and 21,000 sq. ft. of offices. Phase 2 will extend the cross docked facility by 26,000 sq.ft.

Contracts were exchanged in March 2013 and the project is expected to be completed around March 2014.

Roxhill will develop the new facility and sbh, who acted for Dachser in acquisition, is retained as Dachser’s consultant during construction. sbh will also be responsible for the disposal of the company’s 4 existing buildings in Northampton.

sbh Director Shaun Galvin, who handled the acquisition, added: ‘We are very pleased to have secured this site for Dachser so close to its existing facilities. The arrangement of a detached HQ office block, cross-docked facility and conventional distribution centre on a single site with expansion land following Dachser’s German corporate blueprint, made a freehold turnkey package essential. It is great to work with a client prepared to make such a large long-term commitment.’

Simon Williams, Development Director at Roxhill, commented: ‘We are absolutely delighted to be developing Dachser’s new logistics and headquarters facility at Brackmills Point in Northampton. The company has been operating from its base on the Brackmills Industrial Estate for 30 years, and to retain a company with Dachser’s reputation and ambition is fantastic for the town. The team at Roxhill worked very closely and successfully with Nick Lowe and the Dachser team, as well as the team at sbh to adapt Dachser’s well-established European logistics model to the UK market.’

Nick Lowe, UK Managing Director at Dachser, commented: ‘We are delighted to have secured this superb site for our UK HQ. The location is ideal from a logistics viewpoint and allows us to retain existing staff and create many new jobs in Northampton. This significant capital investment in our own freehold shows our long-term commitment to the expansion of our UK business.’

Letting agents were North Rae Sanders, Lambert Smith Hampton and Burbage Realty.

For further information:

Call Shaun Galvin on 01992 780000.

For more details on sbh’s project management and client services contact Andy Melvin on 01992 780035 or andy.melvin@sbh.co.uk.

Contact Simon Williams at Roxhill on 01788 538454 or simon.williams@roxhill.co.uk

Since the start of the recession in 2009, DPD has grown its sales by more than 50% and is expanding in order to meet growing demand from the home delivery sector. Its success has been driven mainly by the popularity of its unique Predict advance notification service, which gives home shoppers a one hour window in which their parcel will arrive. The company, a subsidiary of French postal group La Poste, now collects and delivers over one million parcels per week across the UK.

sbh has worked closely with DPD over the past 10 years on all aspects of its property portfolio, developing a strong partnership and understanding of the business. sbh has been appointed as tenant’s agent to construct the new distribution depot in Thetford. The 37,000 sq ft new build on the 3.1 acres site is due to be completed in April 2013. With a lease of 20 years, the new distribution depot will provide DPD with additional long-term warehousing for its booming business.

The depot will have an eaves height of 6m, a total of 31 loading doors (26 level entry and five dock level doors). The specification will accommodate gas-fired radiant tube heaters and fluorescent T5 lighting. DPD has been given early access to complete the fit out, which will include installation of conveyer equipment as well as internal and external CCTV. sbh aims to complete the project in April  with the opening being set for May 2013.

Managing the acquisition programme, sbh Director Shaun Galvin commented:  ‘We are very pleased and proud to be co-operating with a world-class business like DPD on one of the industry’s most extensive and ambitious programmes. We have also re-geared leases on nine of their existing depots, taking advantage of improved terms available since 2008 and of DPD’s attraction to landlords anxious to find reliable, well-funded long-term tenants. Working with the company for more than a decade has enabled us to gain a deep insight into its culture and operations, providing an ideal platform to ensure a successful outcome to this major investment programme.’

DPD’s Director of Technical Services Mark Wilkes adds: ‘The new DPD depots mean we’ll be able to handle the extra volume produced by the new business we’re winning. I am delighted that once again we are partnering with sbh whose expertise will help us ensure that all new sites are completed on time and on budget.’

For further information:

Please contact Gordon, Liz or Jason at MAW Communications (www.mawcomms.co.uk) on 01603 505 845, or call Shaun Galvin at sbh (www.sbh.co.uk) on 01992 780000.

For more details on sbh’s project management and client services contact Andy Melvin on 01992 780035 or andy.melvin@sbh.co.uk.

The 66,000 sq ft, £11 million extension will house all the company’s production, will consolidate three existing sites into one, and allow the company to make the most effective use of the enlarged plant’s layout and production flow. Enhancements will include a new paint shop, a modern test centre, new welding and assembly and storage facilities designed to deliver improved lead times, higher and consistent quality levels.  

sbh’s consultants advised Johnston Sweepers on putting together the project management team, managed the main contractor tender and helped modify the original planning permission to gain approval. The extension will be built while the existing plant continues in operation and is scheduled for completion during 2013.

Johnston Sweepers is a world leading manufacturer of street cleansing equipment, and their C201 Compact model was recently named, "Mechanical Product of the Year" in the British Engineering Excellence Awards for 2012.

Of the total investment, £100m will be allocated to a new East Midlands parcel sortation hub, believed to be one of the largest of its kind in Europe.  The remaining £75m will fund the refurbishment of two existing hubs and the construction of ten new bespoke parcel depots over the next 15 months.  DPD recently opened three new depots in London, Southampton and Dundee, with three more under construction in London, Sheffield and Snetterton.  The remaining sites for the current phase are currently under negotiation.

As well as acting for DPD in the search for the new East Midlands hub, sbh will act as construction project managers on the project, and will act on the present and future phases of the parcels depot development programme.

The success of DPD’s GPS-based Predict service providing customers with a one-hour delivery window has been a strong driving force behind the decision, generating more than £70m in new business since its launch in March 2010.  Other investments in new handheld devices, security and IT systems are intended to keep DPD equipped to handle the rapid increase in on-line orders and deliveries in the B2C market.

sbh selected property partner..

sbh director Shaun Galvin, who is managing the acquisition programme, commented: “We are very pleased and proud to be co-operating with a world-class business like DPD on one of the industry’s most extensive and ambitious programmes.  We have also re-geared leases on nine of their existing depots, taking advantage of improved terms available since 2008 and of DPD’s attraction to landlords anxious to find reliable, well-funded long-term tenants.”

“Working with the company for more than a decade has enabled us to gain a deep insight into their culture and operations, providing an ideal platform to ensure a successful outcome to this major investment programme.”

DPD’s Mark Wilkes said: "The online retail market is expanding rapidly with consumers now prepared to buy a much wider range of goods online, which in turn relies totally on the efficiency of the bricks and mortar operations to deliver.”

“We have developed a strong partnership with sbh over the past ten years and are fully confident they will be able to deliver this significant expansion to our property portfolio.  They have proven expertise in warehousing including search and acquisition, project management and upgrades which will undoubtedly benefit us in making this investment a great success.”

“Over the past two decades or more, sbh has project-managed the development of hundreds of warehouses and distribution centres for leading global companies such as T J Maxx, General Motors, Gillette, Nissan, Rhenus Logistics, L’Oréal, Kimberly Clark and Kelloggs.

With an established international division and projects in Europe and the Far East, we were invited by a global corporate client to project manage a new 75,000m² warehouse in China.  To put it into context, unlike the global economy, Chinese construction sector grew from £200bn in 2007 to £500bn in 2011, now representing some 15% of the world’s construction projects.

While the Chinese government is currently trying to take the heat out of the housing market, it is still encouraging commercial and transport/infrastructure projects and plans to develop some 250 new cities by 2030, away from the established and often over-crowded centres.

Despite our extensive experience in various markets and territories, the differences and challenges we are facing are on a whole new level.  Issues of communication, different nationalities and cultures, times zones, working practices and above all government controls combine to present all the consultants involved with a steep learning curve, but one from which we have gained huge knowledge and experience of the Chinese market.

Instead of co-ordinating the efforts of companies in the same country, with the same language and culture, on a day-to-day basis we bring together and work with consultants from the US, France, India, UK and of course China.  Happily modern technology in the form of video and web conferencing enables us to keep in touch round the clock with everyone involved in the project, though varying time zones do not always make for a good night’s sleep.

High labour costs in the west have driven companies manage projects effectively and to use labour in the most efficient way.  In contrast labour in China is plentiful and a lot cheaper. It is not unusual for a project to have up to ten times more staff than would be the case in Europe. The highest grade of government approved construction contractor may have around 4,500 office staff and up to 35,000 operatives on site per annum, and in addition operate their own large scale steel fabrication businesses.

The Chinese people have a positive work ethic that has enabled the country to lift millions out of poverty in the past couple of decades. Meetings take place round the clock and teams will work late in the night to meet deadlines. 

Above all, the Chinese government and its officials ensure strong state control of every stage and process. Virtually all the on-site work is carried out by Chinese companies who will be fully or partly government owned and registered.  They do look however to foreign consultants to provide the latest design and construction skills working to international best practice, particularly on signature projects, with the final stages handled by local design authorities. Every project needs a Jianli – a government approved inspector who is on site every day for the life of the project.

The cultural and operation differences go beyond the work environment and affect every aspect of life in China – including getting there. Organising flights, transfers and lost luggage are just some of the hurdles to overcome, and the cost of flights may vary almost by the minute, often by as much as 20%.

Once there however, good local transport services and cheap taxis mean that it’s possible to hold meetings at several locations throughout the day, with dinners and drinks with the client and colleagues afterwards.  Different time zones allow overnight contact with the home office – but not as much sleep as one might wish.

Many of these cultural differences only become clear when the visitor is immersed in day-to-day business and one of the most important lessons is to spot, respond to and respect the many cultural variances.

But – China is an exciting, dynamic, vibrant and challenging environment where those who can adapt and work within a different culture can hope to reap big rewards, both personally and corporately.  The sbh team has learned a great deal about the country, made many good contacts and friends and is ideally placed to handle further projects in China."

Work started on the 120,000 sq ft distribution building in February and will be completed this year.  

As reported in the retail press:

Tony Fletcher, Corporate Affairs Manager at Tesco, said: "The Tesco warehouse will serve a large part of south west London and Sussex to support our on-line grocery shopping and delivery service."

“It will help ease pressure on local stores to improve both the shopping experience for customers visiting them and for customers receiving home delivery.

The new warehouse will strengthen Tesco’s growing online business and also help the retailer achieve its ambition of being a zero-carbon business by 2050 by being built to strict environmental guidelines.

Recycled building materials will be used for its construction and it will feature an automatic lighting system, energy efficient freezer fans and a combined heat and power plant.

A network of new and enhanced public footpaths and cycle ways will also be built by Tesco as part of the construction, not only encouraging green travel but also linking the site to a wider employment area.”

The company has already completed or is nearing completion of projects totalling around 250,000m², including two 24,000m² distribution centres for TK Maxx in Germany and Poland, three master planning projects in the Ukraine totalling over 200,000m² and concept design and planning for an air freight distribution centre in Romania.

Other projects and feasibility studies in progress include a 44,000m² distribution centre in Shanghai, China; site, development and project management proposals for a 24,000m² warehouse in Belgium; reviewing the feasibility a high office content warehouse proposal in France, and extension and remedial works projects in Romania and the Czech Republic.

sbh’s Chris Berry explained: “Our UK client portfolio built up over the past two decades has increasingly included blue chip companies such as T K Maxx, Porsche, Kelloggs, L’Oréal and New Look, with a strong international presence. The experience and expertise in distribution property we had developed in the UK proved to be in great demand in both established and emerging economies.”

“Having completed well over a hundred major projects in the UK we have established a team with unrivalled private practice experience which is highly valued by corporate occupiers looking to expand into other countries.  They are particularly keen to have an impartial UK adviser on their side rather than a ‘broker’ with no allegiance to anyone, which is the norm outside the UK.”

“Our progress to date has been far ahead of what we might have expected as we have proved our ability to deal effectively with the diverse standards and requirements that exist in other countries and to deliver cost-effective and practical results, on time and within budget - anywhere.” 

• First place in Deal of The Year (over 50,000 sq.ft) was B&Q’s new 800,000 sq.ft distribution centre at Swindon. Developer Gazeley picked up the award for the deal on which sbh acted for B&Q in the search for and project management of the building and fitting out.

• In the same category sbh also acted as project managers for Highbridge properties on the specialist 336,000 sq.ft warehouse/production facility for occupier BAE at Washington Tyne & Wear which was in the final shortlist of 4.

• The Deal of The Year for smaller buildings (under 50,000 sq.ft) went to Segro for their bespoke 35,000 sq.ft parcels depot for sbh’s client GeoPost.  sbh carried out the search and negotiated the acquisition of the pre letting on behalf of GeoPost for this low density, high specification property.

Having completed projects for TK Maxx in the UK and more recently in Germany, sbh are continuing their longstanding professional relationship with TJX Europe.

The 25,400m², 14m high facility includes 2,000m² of office space, 40 loading doors and an overall site area of 70,000m². The facility provides a multi-tier mezzanine, storage racking and a wide range of material handling equipment.  A Factory Mutual compliance sprinkler system will be installed as part of the high speed fit-out.

Philippe Delpech commented “having successfully completed our recent German project, we were very happy to appoint sbh to manage the project for us.  Taking sbh’s trusted team into another new country for TJX helps us through the challenges that each new country presents.”

sbh have already advised on site and developer selection.

With over 24 years experience including 14 years as Project Manager, Fernando joins from Arcadis and formerly Stace.

Fernando will work on UK and mainland Europe projects as sbh expands.  The teams’ current projects outside the UK include China, France, Belgium, Romania and Poland. 

We are swapping our listed building, lawns and cosy fireplaces for our new modern open plan, air conditioned offices.

Moving only 9 miles we are able to keep the same phone, fax and email and retain all staff.

Central London is accessed via Hertford's two rail stations on the Liverpool Street and Kings Cross lines.

The Rotunda
1 Old London Road
Hertford
SG13 7LA

Tel:  +44 (0) 1992 780000
Fax: +44 (0) 1992 780078

info@sbh.co.uk

To be built to a BREEAM Very Good rating the facility will include state of the art mechanical and electrical services.

Planning permission has been granted and work will start later this year for completion during 2012.

Founded in 1904, Johnston Sweepers is a world leading manufacturer of outdoor surface cleansing equipment with two factories in the UK, and over 200 distributors worldwide.

With the experience and reputation of more than 20 years working for numerous leading retail, distribution and industrial clients such as B & Q, Damart, Homebase, Brake Bros, Fozzy, General Motors, GeoPost, Kellogg’s and Virgin Trains,sbh’s activity across Europe has increased significantly over the past five years. Current assignments include a 25,700m² distribution centre for TK Maxx in Bergheim, Germany, just completed and a similar project now underway in Wroclaw, Poland.  The company currently has a number of other projects in hand, from Ukraine in the east across to Benelux in the west.

sbh’s Andy Melvin commented; “Over the past few years we could see that more of our UK clients were either already established in mainland Europe or were planning to expand, so it made sense to offer them the same services that we had provided for so long in the UK.  The reaction from a number was very positive – including T K Maxx, for whom we had project-managed two distribution centres in England.”

“The show was a logical step in communicating our growth strategy and we were exceedingly pleased with both the number and quality of the enquiries we received.”

The company confirmed its international credentials by exhibiting at Transport Logistic Munich in May, the world’s largest trade fair for Logistics and Supply Chain Management, and is recruiting staff from mainland Europe.  Held bi-annually, the show attracted 51,000 visitors from 134 countries and helped sbh generate interest and enquiries from across Europe.

Over the past two decades sbh has built up an impressive portfolio of clients in distribution, manufacturing and services includingB & Q, Damart, Nissan, New Look, Homebase, General Motors, GEFCO, Porsche, Rhenus, GeoPost, Sanofi Aventis, Kellogg’s and Virgin Trains.

sbh’s Andy Melvin commented; “Over the past few years we could see that more of our UK clients were either already established in mainland Europe or were planning to expand, so it made sense to offer them the same services that we had provided for so long in the UK.  The reaction from a number was very positive – including T K Maxx, for whom we had project managed two distribution centres in England – which encouraged us to expand our international services.”

“A number of UK based executives given the task of managing European expansion programmes have welcomed the fact that they are able to work with us here in the UK, with the comfort of a shared language, experience and knowledge – while understanding the cultural and economic differences in other states.  In addition the UK has a strong reputation for the efficiency and high standards of its logistics operations that many other emerging economies are keen to emulate. “

 “We are fully equipped to provide a complete property development turnkey service including project evaluation, financing, lease/purchase guidance and acquisition, construction project management and handling equipment specification and fit-out – or individual elements to suit the client’s circumstances.”

GEFCO, a major global logistics company, uses land at Sheerness Docks for vehicle storage prior to export through the port.  The VOA notice issued back in 2008 attempted to treat the various users within the port zone as being in paramount occupation of separate rating units, reflecting the previous government’s decision to introduce conventional market valuation instead of a different basis known as prescriptive rating. 

The outcome saw GEFCO faced with a new rateable value of £1.825m and a certificate of rateable value for transitional purposes of £1.475m.  In simple language this meant that the company received an additional rates bill of £2.826m for the period April 2005 to October 2008.

sbh lodged an initial appeal against both assessments, which led the VOA to reduce the liability by £431,000.  However following further lengthy negotiations, the sbh team managed to achieve a final settlement that reduced GEFCO’s backdated rates liability to £2.238m instead of some £3.3m, saving the client a total of £828,432. 

A further appeal by sbh against the 2010 -2015 assessment of £2.19m successfully reduced the amount by 32% to £1.48m, delivering savings of around £1.19m in rates due for the period.

The negotiations carried out by sbh for GEFCO took place during a highly charged and sensitive period when the long-running dispute over backdated business rates threatened many docks with financial ruin.   Following a number of high profile legal actions and political action, the coalition government finally announced it would now include provisions to cancel the rates in the Localism and De-centralisation Bill.

The company has managed a number of projects for T K Maxx in the UK including new distribution/processing centres in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Walsall in the UK, so the German project was the natural extension of a long-standing business relationship. The 25,700m², 14 m high facility includes 1,500m² of office space, 40 loading doors, an overall site area of 70,000m² with an external storage area of 2,500m² and a paved area of 28,700m². The entire project was constructed in 24 weeks.

The facility provides a multi-tier mezzanine, storage racking, multi-tier garment hanging installation and a wide range of material hanging equipment.  A Factory Mutual compliance sprinkler system was installed as part of the high-speed fit-out.

Philippe Delpech commented: “TK Maxx chose to work with sbh because of their experience on previous projects and they demonstrated a good understanding of both technical and commercial requirements, whether on building issues or the needs of the modern retailer”.

With more than two decades of experience in managing warehouse projects and acquisitions for leading blue-chip clients as diverse as B & Q, Damart, Fozzy, General Motors, GeoPost, Kellogg’s and Virgin Trains, sbh is developing a strong presence across mainland and Eastern Europe.

“ Even through today’s tough economic times, chilled food consumption is growing steadily as the UK consumer seeks an ever wider choice of ready-to-eat and prepared foods.  A wide choice of pre-prepared meals provides an attractive and lower-cost alternative to eating out, and a trend to healthier eating is boosting the market for salads and fruit.  Currently worth around £11bn pa including the Food Service sector the industry occupies around 14 million cubic feet of space.  A significant proportion of stores are more than 25 years old, designed at a time when energy costs were not so critical.  So with ever increasing energy costs, there is a more urgent need to continually upgrade plant and in some cases replace them with modern, well-insulated structures – and with extra capacity for continued growth.

sbh has a strong track record in the sector, having been involved in more than 1.5m square feet of frozen and chilled projects over the years.  Major projects completed include three frozen and chilled projects for Culina Logistics totalling more than 1/4m square feet; multi-temperature distribution centres in Kent and Lincolnshire for Brakes Group; and a new multi-temperature depot at Paddock Wood, Kent, for 3663 First For Foodservice.

The design of non-ambient warehouses needs to protect and insulate expensive cooling and internal temperature-management systems from a wide range of seasonal temperatures, which from recent evidence may become even more marked in the coming years.  As well as potentially wasting energy and rising costs, poorly designed buildings may suffer from problems such as roof space condensation if adequate openings and ventilation have not been provided.

The critical design factor in a cold, chilled or even a controlled ambient store is the need to establish and maintain a given temperature.  Whether keeping to a level of -25ºC for frozen foods or ensuring that combustible chemicals remain below a flash point of + 23ºC, the technical demands are similar, although the immediate effects of failure may not be the same.

Different foodstuffs and products require their own particular temperatures and the building specification will reflect individual requirements to provide the most cost-effective solution.  The level of insulation and the degree of cooling required for frozen foods will be far more demanding and costly than for a chilled store and each degree below the external ambient temperature can add cost.

Both the building fabric and design need to ensure that the energy expended in cooling the air to the required temperature is not allowed to leak, either through poor insulation or even worse, through doors.

The past few years have seen the development and introduction of specialised composite, insulated cladding panels for both the roof and walls.  Factory-assembled with weather-resistant outer coatings and a range of interior finishes, they speed on-site assembly, have a high strength-to-weight ratio and provide thermal values of 0.20W/m2 or more.

Among the latest developments in energy-efficient wall panels for temperature controlled structures is the Modular Box from Kingspan which is a flat pack walk in cold store that combines very high levels of thermal and fire performance with ease of assembly and a fully supported fast track service.  Designed to withstand internal / external temperature differences of up to 80°C, the Modular Box is suitable for applications with an internal temperature range of -50°C to +60°C.

Cold store floors have to be designed to minimise any temperature transfer between the building to the sub soil, which could undermine both the warehouse structure and the efficiency of the store itself.  Heating pipes laid below the insulation base prevent cold from the store reaching subsoil moisture which could freeze and expand, damaging the building structure through heave. In some cases heat generated by the refrigeration process is recycled a used for this purpose.  Conversely insulating panels above the pipes ensure that the heat does not affect the integrity of the cold store itself.  Finally the floor slab is laid above the insulation material, increasingly to a standard required for high bay, narrow-aisle trucks.  Floors using a standard granolithic concrete and Styrofoam design can be laid together with a heater mat, to prevent frost damage.

At the heart of any temperature controlled warehouse is the refrigeration system, which must be cost-effective, reliable and most importantly conform to the latest environmental requirements.  A project completed by sbh.uk for Geest – a 5,000 pallet store chilled to +2°C – was designed to tackle all three requirements. Using an environmentally responsible process of glycol as a secondary refrigerant was only marginally more expensive than using ammonia alone as the coolant, but eliminated the potential damage of ammonia leakage within the warehouse.  According to initial calculations, the cost was some 13% lower per square metre than the average UK price for cool stores and was expected to consume around 22% less energy than a traditional R404a refrigerant system.

sbh has worked on a number of projects with Star Refrigeration where both energy and lifecycle costs have been an important factor, complicated by the need to replace R22 refrigerant that is no longer legal.  Upgrading equipment to use a drop in refrigerant or an alternative refrigerant such as R404A may not always deliver a suitable solution and installing a new system frequently proves to be more cost-effective and efficient.   Other options include water-cooled or air cooled CO2 systems – or equipment such as Star Refrigeration’s Glacier package that uses ammonia and provides a lower cost and carbon-neutral solution, particularly suitable for medium-sized installations.

No matter how efficient the building structure insulation, heat will enter the building through doors and other access points.  The number and size of loading and exit doors will always lead to a compromise between the need to deliver and dispatch the required volumes of goods and the need to minimise heat entry.  The cold store’s integrity will largely be maintained as it will comprise a separate area from marshalling and dispatch areas and goods may be shipped directly into temperature controlled vehicles.   A strict policy to ensure doors are kept closed including automatic closers will of course contribute significantly to lowering costs.

Recent developments in lighting technology provide another fertile area for improved energy management.  Motion-activated lighting ensures that lights automatically come on only when required and in the part of the warehouse where operators are working.  In practice this means that most lights are unlit for the majority of the time, with the potential to cut energy demand by more than 50%.  In addition LED lights do not generate heat so less cooling is required, delivering further energy savings.

Of all storage facilities, a chilled or cold store is most likely to require the biggest investment and will be more affected by standards and legislation.  Amortising such a specialised and costly investment may take a number of years, so sound investment advice as well as professional guidance on the design and construction of the building will ensure the long-term success of the project.  A specialist distribution property consultant such as sbh will have the in-house expertise and knowledge such a project requires.

With a clear internal height of 15m for high bay storage, the project includes separate battery charging and aerosol stores, around 30,000ft² (2,787m²) of office space comprising a main block and two hub offices for goods in and dispatch, 32 loading docks and a further 51 level access loading doors.  

sbh will also manage the entire shell fit-out including electrics, sprinklers, racking auxiliary works, fire alarm and detection systems, security and CCTV, and fuel and vehicle wash island.

Environmental issues are at the heart of the new building with a 16,000ft² (1,486m²) area for recycling packaging materials, triple-skin roof lights, energy efficient lighting with automatic controls, a passive solar energy generation wall, rain water harvesting, low flush volume WCs and low water use spray taps, which together achieve a BREEAM excellent rating.

sbh has a strong track-record in project-managing, developing and advising on warehouses and distribution centres for leading blue-chip companies including Kimberly Clark, New Look, T K Maxx and Superdrug throughout Europe.

During 2010, some 2 million ft² (185,800m²) of projects were started or completed.

For value retailerT K Maxx, a new 276,600 ft² (25,700 m²) Distribution Centre was completed in Bergheim, Germany following the previous completion of two similar sized projects in the UK.

A chill and ambient food distribution unit in Ireland was completed for Culina SHS (Ireland).

sbh are acting for B&Q  as the Employers Agent on the construction of a giant 796,649 ft² (74,010 m²) super shed and the fitting-out of a 361,000 ft² (33,593m²) warehouse in Chorley for Kimberly-Clark.

Other projects completed include a warehouse refurbishment and sub-division for Standard Life Investments in Enfield, and repeat projects for; Brakes, Highbridge Properties, Macmillan Publishing and New Look.

sbh also helped a number of clients acquire industrial properties, with sites and buildings of more than 1,150,000 ft² (106,830 m²). 

sbh – now international property and construction consultants – has been developing into mainland Europe for a number of years.  The strategy recognises the opportunity to use its experience and expertise particularly in the warehousing and distribution sector to expand and broaden the business base. 

Since 1978, the transport logistic exhibition has established itself as the most important exhibition for logistics, mobility, IT and supply-chain management in the world and enjoys global recognition.  It is a marketplace and a source of impetus that brings trade visitors from around the world together with exhibitors' innovative, future-oriented solutions. For the 13th time, transport logistic will give visitors a look at the entire value chain in logistics.

sbh will have 50 free tickets for the event. Those interested in attending should register their interest by e mail via the contact us form on the sbh website. 

The 28,020m² (301,600ft²) 6m internal height production area also has a 14m high section for specialised services. Offices, conference facilities and a welfare block including a canteen, toilets and washing facilities occupy a further 3,183m² (34,260ft²).The main building is finished with profiled cladding and low level facing brickwork, and the offices include an atrium.  Designed to comply with the latest environmental and energy-management legislation, the building will achieve a very good BREEAM rating.
 

Highbridge Properties supplied a completed shell withheating, lighting, power and other utilities in place.  sbh helped specify and project manage the additional facilities and services needed for BAE’s advanced munitions manufacturing technology. 

External facilities include 290 car parking spaces, stores, a sprinkler pump housing and high security fencing and access controls.

BAE staff were deeply involved in the new design, which provides a very high quality working environment.  BAE Systems’ Simon Miller explained:” The site is closer for most of our employees and many can cycle to work on the coast-to-coast cycle track.  We have included a number of features such as modern changing rooms and welfare services to provide staff with a pleasant and supportive environment.“

Piet Pulford of Highbridge Properties commented: “sbh has a great team and their knowledge and experience in this type of work made them the obvious choice for such an important project. We have forged a highly successful partnership with them that is helping us deliver great value specialist facilities to a growing number of world-class occupiers.”

sbh project managed the works to the subdivide the building into two separate properties to let.  The existing tenant Crown Records Management took over the ground floor offices and half the warehouse area on a new lease while offices on the first floor and the rest of the warehouse were subsequently let to ASDA.

Work included upgrading the power supply and general repairs and alterations to accommodate the new tenant’s fit out.

Martin with a MSc in Construction Management and Engineering has project, development, construction and management experience in retail and warehousing projects  including 5 years for a major food retailer in charge of the expansion into Central Eastern Europe including stores and temperature controlled distribution centres.

David with a BSc (Hons) is a Chartered Surveyor has over 20 years experience of including building surveys, dilapidations work and negotiating settlements, reinstatement cost assessments, project monitoring primarily on industrial and commercial property.

The building has a 10m high warehouse area of 154,900ft² (14,390m²) and fully fitted offices of 9,000ft² (836m²).  There are 14 loading doors including 12 dock levels.

Using warehouse and distribution specialist surveyors sbh, Scotts has negotiated an excellent leasehold package to reflect the over supply of large distribution units in the region.  Scotts searched the M18 and M62 areas before settling on Quattro and have taken a 15-year leasehold deal with a significant rent-free period.  The landlords also provided a substantial contribution to Scotts’ fitting out, including racking, lighting and office partitioning.  The initial rent is £4.30 per square foot.

Scotts chose sbh for this acquisition following an introduction on the 2009 Logistics and Supply Chain Forum organised by Richmond Events.  Matt Payne, UK Logistics Manager at Scotts, said: “We chose sbh because of their specialisation in distribution property.  They have completed many similar acquisitions for other major occupiers and were able to provide us with experienced professionals to help us negotiate an excellent deal".

To provide long-term energy savings, the new facility will employ the latest environmental technology including LED external lighting and highly efficient internal lighting with automatic movement detectors.   Parking for 66 cars and additional lorry space are part of a full programme of external works.

sbh has a strong record in food and temperature controlled warehouses and distribution centres.  As well as a 79,000ft² (7,270m²) multi-temperature food distribution centre in New Hythe, Kent, also for Brakes Group, the company has completed several projects for Culina and others for 3663, Dairycrest and Purina Nestlé.
 

The work involves demolishing two outdated low level buildings and the construction of a new 63,900ft² (5,935m²), 12.9m internal height unit, with a corridor link to the existing warehouse.  It will be used for bulk storage on nine-level high pallet racking served by narrow-aisle stackers.

Roof and in-rack sprinklers have been specified to protect the hundreds of thousands of books in store.  10% area roof lights and energy efficient lighting will help to reduce operational costs and the building’s carbon footprint.