FP McCann Precast Bespoke Troughs to Channel Waste Management at Scottish Cardboard Manufacturing Plant
Project: New Cardboard Manufacturing Plant. Livingston, West Lothian
Client: SAICA Pack (part of the SAICA Group)
Main Contractor: Robertson Construction (Central East)
Civil Engineering / Demolition Contractor: Careys
Products Supplied: Bespoke Precast Concrete ‘U’ Troughs
Work is well underway on a brand new major cardboard manufacturing facility in Livingston, West Lothian. Spanish packaging giant SAICA group has employed the services of Robertson Construction (Central East) to convert a former supermarket chain distribution warehouse into the state-of-the-art cardboard production plant. The £50 million construction project is scheduled for completion later this year at which point SAICA Pack will decommission its existing facilities in Edinburgh and Milngavie near Glasgow.
The £18 million construction package includes significant groundworks on the site, part of which is the installation of a below ground waste management system to channel the by-product of the pulping process to a collection point prior to removal and disposal. Civil engineering and demolition company Careys, has been employed by Robertson Central East to undertake the works which comprises 50 metres of precast concrete trough in two sections to carry the pipework, through which, the waste by-product will pass.
FP McCann’s in-house design team was approached at the early design stage of the build as it was determined by the structural engineers that non-standard reinforced precast concrete ‘U’ troughs were the optimum solution to act as conduits for the pipework whilst providing the structural strength to protect the pipes from above ground loading at factory floor level.
In total, FP McCann has supplied 26 bespoke trough sections to the project from its Byley plant in Cheshire. These have been installed by Careys in two separate linked runs on concrete slab foundations. One channel measures 38 metres long and consists of 19 individual units each measuring 1600mm id wide x 2350mm id deep; the second 7 section channel measures 13.64 metres long and comprises units 3200mm id wide x 2250mm id deep.
Prior to backfilling, each channel run has been sheeted externally with plastic to act as a waterproof membrane. To complete the ‘U’ trough channels, FP McCann is also supplying the precast concrete cover slabs.
Commenting on the bespoke precast concrete trough system Paul Sheerin, Project Engineer for Careys says, “Construction of such a channel using off-site manufactured precast units is a simple and efficient process. The bespoke trough sections unique in their design, eliminated the need for any formwork, shuttering and pouring of concrete. Additionally, these units minimise the amount of time operatives have to spend below ground level. We would certainly consider using such a precast concrete system on future projects of a similar nature.”
For sales and technical enquiries, contact our Weston Underwood depot on
01335 361269 or email sales@fpmccann.co.uk
