Manchester-based construction company Russell WBHO, one of the UK’s leading contractors in the temperature-controlled sector, commenced the £14million project at the end of 2022. The 10-month build doubles the storage and distribution capacity at the site to over 48,000 pallets for the company’s third-party logistics division, MPW.
The portal frame warehouse unit comprises a 146,238 sq ft temperature-controlled storage chamber with 12 loading docks, internal racking with in-rack sprinkler system, and a 4,542 sq ft office space.
Russell WBHO was responsible for the full construction and fit-out of the building and storage chamber, which will operate at a controlled internal temperature to store supplies to the exacting standards of the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The team partnered with Sol PV Group for the solar array, and Wattstor through Mawdsleys for the DC Cubicles, battery storage container, and the associated operating system; including the Wattstor Podium Advanced Energy Monitoring System.
Will Westall, director at Mawdsleys, said: “The completion of this extension doubles our storage capacity at Redhouse. As well as increasing our service capability for both new and existing pharma clients, this highly-innovative project achieves the Board’s goal of producing a building with serious sustainability credentials that we hope can be a model for commercial properties across our estate. Leaning on the experience and expertise of our construction partner, Russell WBHO, we have maximised our investment and delivered on our plan to reduce of carbon emissions for the long-term across the site.
Not only does the building now generate its own power, but the energy generation system has also been designed to maximise energy saving opportunities. Russell WBHO worked with mechanical and electrical specialists Heatworks to design and install an energy efficient heating, cooling, and ventilation system.
The project’s professional team also includes project managers Beaumont Lord, architect AEW, structural engineer Booth King, Services Consultant ESC, health and safety specialists Pure Safety Solutions and environmental consultancy E3P.
Russell WBHO is hugely experienced in the industrial sector and has delivered over 1m sq ft in high-spec temperature-controlled facilities over the last 20 years. Solar PV installation has become an important feature in temperature-controlled construction and refurbishment over recent years, and the ability to include battery storage is another positive step.
Jonathan Rhodes, Russell WBHO project director, said: “Technological advancements make renewables and battery storage are now a viable option and can create new opportunities for clients to reduce their energy use and carbon emissions. The increase in electric vehicle use within the logistics sector, coupled with energy price increases and grid constraint issues, further increases viability. We worked closely with our client and specialist suppliers to bring together this solution and we are pleased to add value to the project.”
Established in Salford in 1825, Mawdsleys has expanded across the country and internationally, and is now the UK’s largest independent pharmaceutical supplier to the UK hospital sector. The company operates its own fleet from distribution sites in, Salford, Milton Keynes, Sheffield, Glasgow and Doncaster.
