More than 14 km of IPE beams for fire-resistant mezzanine

Last year, a new international manufacturer of warehouse racking asked us to design two fire-resistant storey floors totaling 9,000 m² for their end customer who wanted to expand into another EU country. However, this manufacturer could not realize the fire-resistant floor (mezzanine) within its network.

In their search for a floor specialist, the name Almacon quickly came up. That’s how they came to us. We accepted the challenge, which led to a great success.

Projectspecificaties

two single-story floors in two halls totaling 9,000 m2 of floor.
Fine column grid without large span.
Minimum 30-minute fire-resistant mezzanine due to storage of flammable goods.
Apply fire resistance in accordance with EU legal regulations.
Minimal scaffolding because scaffolding is placed under the floor.

Fire resistance and reliability

Our new customer was initially a bit uncertain about working with us as a foreign supplier. To reassure them, we made it clear at the quotation stage how full fire resistance would be demonstrated, with the certificates that would be supplied with it. We translated these requirements into a design and quotation, which we presented to the on-site contact person and end customer. In doing so, we gave a very detailed explanation of the design.

In the end, they chose us because of our solid project execution and positive feedback from other international sales offices about our reliability and expertise.

Quality assurance

An open and transparent relationship quickly developed between end customer and Almacon, so that we actually became the technical extension of our customer. The quality assurance officer of the certification body, in the country of placement, was also involved in the project. We convinced him of the fire resistance and quality of the floor by providing the fire resistance certificates with the design details and calculations. All according to the applicable EU regulations.

Innovative steel production and processing

We then began the production of the steel manufactured specifically for this project This steel was sent to the steel fabricator, where it was manufactured with teh help of our advanced and reliable 3D production files. Then the machined steel was taken to the spraying facility for both normal and fire-resistant coating.

The steel fabrication company had acquired a new machine that could make cutouts in hot-rolled beams, allowing them to be connected closely together when assembled. This made lighter connections possible. Previously, these cutouts were made manually, which would have been prohibitive for the 3,300 beams.

This new way of working also presented the steel fabrication company with a challenge: the machine had to be set up properly and the work had to be done within a tight time limit. Some obstacles emerged during the first round of production, but together we were able to resolve these quickly due to the short lines of communication.

Project photo’s

Strategic overcapacity for optimally protected beams

To minimize the risk of damaging the fire-resistant coating, we built in overcapacity in the intermediate beams. These beams were made heavier so that even without fire-resistant coating, they only lose their load-bearing capacity after 30 minutes. This saved drying time, reduced damage and made design particularly efficient to produce.

It was advantageous that the main and intermediate beams had the same profile. This meant that, because of the greater load, only the main girders needed to be fire-resistant coated, while the intermediate girders did not. This significantly reduced the number of damages to the fire-resistant coating to be touched up, so that the assembly could proceed smoothly.

30 Trucks with steel

Due to limited space at the end client’s site and a penalty clause for failure to meet delivery dates, we carefully planned the construction sequence and delivery dates. Our client set a tight deadline: we had to build 1,000m² weekly, quite a challenge.

According to a tight schedule, the produced uprights and beams were transported by truck to the construction site immediately after fabrication, so there was no bulk stock. Thus, the production process was fully aligned with the assembly schedule: exactly what was needed was delivered, nothing more, nothing less. The “just in time” delivery principle.

Ultimately, this project led to a total production of 3,300 IPE beams, representing 30 trucks full of steel with a total weight of 500 tons, accounting for more than 14 kilometers of beams.

Efficient planning for assembly

Our planner organized the 30 trucks, while an assembly crew from the manufacturer was ready on site. The assembly drawings were sent in advance by phase, so that the material received corresponded exactly to the drawings. That way, the assemblers only had to search between materials they needed. In addition, each profile was labeled to match the assembly drawing. This ensured fast and efficient construction.

Thanks to our innovative approach, meticulous planning and cooperation with all parties involved, we completed the project successfully and on time. The result is a fire-resistant mezzanine that meets the highest standards of quality and safety.

Advice

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