Technology distribution business, Exertis, has marked the completion of the construction of its new national distribution centre in Burnley.
The 543,620 sq ft unit is the biggest development scheme at Eshton’s £70m Burnley Bridge Business Park in Lancashire.
Main contractor, Bowmer & Kirkland, handed over the warehouse unit with office accommodation after a 56-week programme involving the installation of more than 42 km of tubular steel piling and construction of a steel frame requiring 1,900 tonnes of metal.
Exertis’ fit out contractors have taken possession of the building, along with the racking contractors to enable the technology distributor to move in.
David Singleton, director at Eshton, said: “This unit is big enough to contain five full-sized football pitches and its completion is a major milestone for Exertis, Burnley Bridge Business Park and for Burnley and the M65 corridor.
“The construction method has maximised the potential of the site to create a 24-bay warehouse along with three storey offices and external yard with immediate access to the motorway network via Junction 9 of the M65.
“The successful scheme adds to the mixed profile of accommodation and occupiers at the rapidly-expanding development which is also home to YESSS Electrical, Birchall Foodservice, Equinox Building Solutions and Townsend Music.”
The development scheme involved remediation to the site with cut and fill works to level the ground. The 3,911 steel piles were then installed to a depth of up to 16 metres to stabilise the site prior to construction of the foundations, the steel framework and a composite steel fibre suspended ground floor slab, containing 400 tonnes of steel fibres.
Externally, the project also included construction of the goods yard and a combination of hard landscaping and planting.
Gerry O’Keeffe, managing director of Exertis UK and Ireland, adds: “We represent 200 manufacturers and hold more than 22,000 product lines in stock, so state-of-the-art warehousing facilities in a location that enables us to access the motorway network quickly and easily are vital to fulfilling our commitment to next day delivery and the highest levels of customer service.
“We have been delighted by the can-do approach of both Eshton and Bowmer & Kirkland throughout the development of our new unit and are looking forward to moving onto site within the coming weeks.”