Buckingham Group and Sainsbury’s plc

Client: Buckingham Group and Sainsbury’s plc
Type of works: supply and installation of flexible spring steel safety barriers

When Sainsbury’s were fitting out their new Regional Distribution Centre at Swan Valley in Northampton they turned to Berry Systems for the flexible spring steel safety barriers throughout the 530,000 square feet building.

They also asked them to supply the wheel guides, stops, loading bay bollards and height restrictors. Berry had previously supplied the barriers for their Hams Hall Distribution Centre back in 2002 as well as at Rye Park, Waltham Point and Haydock. So Sainsbury’s have had first hand experience of their effectiveness and durability. Since then the barriers have proved their worth time and again.

The Swan Valley RDC was awarded the Green Award for Sustainable Achievement by the Industrial Agents Society (IAS) and is claimed to be the most environmentally friendly distribution centre in Europe. The building contains a number of advanced features designed to drastically reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions including innovative wall-mounted photovoltaic panels that generate electricity; solar walls; energy-efficient lighting systems and an on-site power plant that generates electricity for on site consumption whilst also utilising the heat generated to raise the temperature of the water used at the cratewash facility.

The cratewash also utilises a rain water harvesting system which is expected to save over three million litres per year of mains water.

Synopsis:
To install safety barriers to protect external cladding and plant, internal structures including columns, pedestrian walkways and warehouse equipment. Also wheel guides, bollards and ramp barriers for loading bays and height restrictors to protect internal goods doorways. All the internal barriers to be double height to prevent incursion of forks from fork lifts and pallet trucks. All the wheel guides, height restrictors and bollards to be supplied in Sainsbury’s orange to enhance the corporate style throughout the facility.

Specification:
1264 metres of double height barrier rail mounted on GH spring steel buffers 49 column protectors for both internal and external columns. 55 metres of barrier rail mounted on flexi-posts with handrail extensions and mesh infill. 491 metres of barrier rail (49 metres double height) mounted on P224 rigid posts. 298 bollards. 297 steel HGV wheel stops. Nine height restrictors for goods doorways between warehouse sections. 56 metres of handrailing.