PRODUCTION MEZZANINE FLOOR VEKA

For over 50 years, VEKA have been leading the global development of PVCU window systems. They have factories in over 40 countries across Europe, Asia and America. They are the world’s largest manufacturer of extruded PVCU products.

VEKA is still owned to this day by the same family who started the company in Germany back in 1969. They have over 35 manufacturing and sales sites worldwide and they employ in excess of 5,200 people.

VEKA were expanding their premises in Burnley and they identified an empty warehouse adjacent to their current site. The idea behind purchasing this new warehouse, was to move some of their production areas there. However they also wanted to make the most of their new space, so they identified that they required a mezzanine floor solution to help them achieve that.

So after a google search and some research, VEKA contacted Nexus to visit their premises, measure the space and discover their requirements for the new space.

‘So we bought a new building that was adjacent to our current site, which we are looking to move a new department into. But we had an issue where there wasn’t quite enough floor space for what we wanted to use it for. So we wanted to put the mezzanine floor in to give us a bit more floor space, but also gives us the advantage that we can reorganise the department a little bit too’. – Beth Yewlett, Deputy Maintenance Manager, VEKA

Once we visited site, we discovered that the warehouse floor may need piling, due to the machinery that VEKA wanted to situate on top of the mezzanine floor. After core sample tests were carried out, it was confirmed that the slab detail wasn’t correct for what they needed and piling would have to be carried out.

‘We found we had an issue where we had to pile the floor, which you know, they (Nexus) did core samples for us and they did calculations and told us that, but they arranged a piling company to come in and do it. So it was a surprise to us, but you know, they helped us through that’.

The piling process involves the cutting and breaking out of the existing concrete floor and then installing strengthened concrete piles that can tolerate the higher loadings required. This is only required on certain projects, usually when the weight on top of the mezzanine will be high combined with ground conditions that are unsuitable for a ground supported floor.

VEKA required a 500 square metre mezzanine floor to house their production space. They wanted to essentially double the space available to them, allowing them to have production areas both below and above the mezzanine floor.

They also needed a small Production Manager’s office on top of the mezzanine floor, allowing the manager to oversee the new department up close. The warehouse is connected to the building next door through roller shutter doors, however they also required access to the top of the mezzanine, from the warehouse next door.

This is to enable them to populate the mezzanine floor with their products. We achieved this through the creation of a knock through at the mezzanine level and the installation of an up and over pallet gate.

The electrics and lighting underneath the mezzanine floor along with the fire alarm system, were carried out by another company on this project.

‘We chose Nexus because the price was good and because the speed of construction was exactly what we needed. We wanted to get our new site up and running as soon as we could and getting the mezzanine floor built was a major part of that.’

‘When we got to the actual construction, the construction was quick and they had a project manager on site, so yeah they were great.’

‘The value for money was good, we had a few issues with the installation but that was all sorted out and it’s worked out really well.’ – Beth Yewlett, Deputy Maintenance Manager, VEKA