Project Overview
ONE’s team has worked with BFE, manufacturers of filtration systems, to design a modern, new headquarters and manufacturing facility in Kidderminster. The 4,370sqm new building will incorporate a high-performance concrete floor, an integrated crane and portal frame and will be heated by Ground Source Heat Pump drawing from the underlying aquifer, making use of the Renewable Heat Incentives Tariff. Our architectural team workshopped with the BFE team throughout the design process to understand their workshop, logistics, storage and headquarters operations to provide a facility that will meet the needs of this developing business for the next 25 years.
As a multi-disciplinary team, our civil engineers obtained a robust ground investigation early in the design process. With early engagement with specialist subcontractors, ONE was able to come up with a ground improvement scheme that eliminated the need for piled foundations, co-ordinated with their multiple crane requirements and that benefitted from the high-performance floor slab that accommodated racking and very heavy forklift truck movements.
The facility includes:
• Two manufacturing areas: one for carbon steel and one for stainless steel complete with testing facilities.
• Bespoke research and development areas.
• An open plan office, sales, administration, marketing and management functions, equipped with a canteen and meeting rooms.
• A warehouse office for quality administration, visiting inspectors, stock taking and quality control departments.
• Several stand-alone and overhead gantry cranes.
• An external service yard suitable for HGV storage, loading and deliveries.
• Car parking for staff and visitors.
Future expansion will be possible through a new building extension along the northern boundary that would link to the original building. Several features were also incorporated into the design to ensure maximum flexibility for the building owners and enable any future investment value to be maintained, including the ability for it to be sub-divided and sold on or rented to other occupiers in the future.
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The design of our new HQ and manufacturing facility will efficiently and effectively consolidate our three existing operations and provide flexibility for the future.
Kevin Troughton, Managing Director / Barton Firtop Engineering Company Ltd
