Working alongside the main contractor, Buckingham Group, Hörmann has been instrumental in completing the new BMW regional distribution centre, at Prologis Park Pineham, on time. The 457,546 sq ft warehouse is part of a multi-million pound investment by BMW to further develop their industry-leading parts logistics operations.
Delivering parts for BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and BMW motorcycle dealers throughout the UK and Ireland, one of the key requirements for this design was flexibility, to be able to handle a wide range of vehicle types in the loading bays. To this end, architects, Stephen George and Partners LLP worked with the specifiers and Hörmann (UK) Ltd to fully ensure that this flexibility was achieved, in a design that has gained BREEAM “Excellent” accreditation and the best Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating for its size category.
As loading bays are critical, when it comes to the energy efficiency of a warehouse design, a great deal of work is put in by the architects to understand the options available. To meet this design challenge, Hörmann has installed 22 loading bays with 4.5 metre long HTL-2 dock levellers, fitted with one metre telescopic lips. This longer than average leveller, plus lip, allows each bay to handle vehicle heights up to 660mm above dock height, to 440mm below. In addition, for further flexibility, two of the levellers have segmented lips, to load vehicles that have a smaller opening than the standard two metre wide lip can use.
To accommodate double deck trailers, 4.25 metre high sectional doors are fitted to the bays with 4.5 metre high DTS dock shelters that include an electrically operated roll up head flap to accommodate a wide range of vehicle heights. The vehicle docks and level access bays all have Hörmann SPU insulated sectional doors, these doors feature 42mm thick polyurethane insulation, which gives each panel a thermal U value of only 0.5 w/m2k, leading to a U value of under 1.0 w/m2k for the installed door.
Looking to the future, flexibility has also been included in this building design. “Knock through” precast concrete door panels have been placed between the current loading bays, so that additional bays could be easily installed should BMW’s needs change. This also adds to the long term use of the building which could readily be modified for any future tenants. Extending the potential life of the building in this way helps to reduce its environmental impact, a key factor for the logistics industry.
Collaboration between specifiers, architects and suppliers at the design stage can pay dividends, with build times reduced, new ideas explored and even new products developed to suit a particular development or location.
Hörmann Group
Tel: 01530 516888
Email: info@hormann.co.uk
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