The client, Penguin Random House, operates a book storage and distribution facility in Frating Essex which was constructed in the late 1990’s. Due to consolidation of their existing real estate locations as well as an urgent need to reduce the requirements for 3rd party storage, they proposed to extend their existing facility to incorporate an automated shuttle-rack system as well as a high bay storage building providing an additional 140,000 sq.ft of operational space. A new marshalling pod was also proposed to enhance the flow of goods in/out of the facility.
The automated system proposed called for a very high differential settlement floor tolerance of 1:2500 which required detailed geotechnical analysis of the floor slabs and foundations. The new buildings were constructed as “bolt-ons” to the existing allowing minimal disruption to site operations.
In addition to the new build elements, enhancements were made to the existing facility in terms of over-sheeting of roofs to reinstate weatherproofing and installation of new roof-mounted plant and PV arrays. The PV works include battery storage to allow the client to use the solar energy generated for charging of site plants such as forklifts and pallet trucks.