FP McCann Precast Concrete StormTank™ Installed at Colorite Manufacturing Plant in Belfast
Project: StormTank Installation™ at Colorite Factory, Springbank Industrial Estate, Belfast
Client: Colorite (Europe) Ltd
Civil Engineering Contractor: FP McCann
StormTank Installation: Reid Engineering
Products Supplied: FP McCann Precast Concrete StormTank™, Ready Mix Conrete, Drainage Products
FP McCann has supplied and installed a 536 cubic metre precast concrete StormTankTM on behalf of Colorite (Europe) Ltd at their plastics manufacturing plant in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The newly-installed StormTank TM has internal dimensions measuring 32 metres long by 9 metres wide at a height of 2.1 metres, with a precast weight of just under 280 tonnes. It is situated under a landscaped area close to the existing factory building.
Colorite is a US-based company with headquarters in Ridgefield, New Jersey. It manufactures and supplies plastics to various industries worldwide, including the medical device industry. Their plastics manufacturing facility at Springbank Industrial Estate in Belfast is the company’s only European base.
The Tank has been installed as part of upgrades to the company’s fire regulation policies. In the event of a fire being detected within the factory, water will pump to the newly fitted sprinkler system from the external water sprinkler storage tank to extinguish the fire. Once the sprinkler/pumped system is activated, this causes the penstock valve to close our newly installed storm drainage outlet. During this period, all water from the factory is then carried through the storm drainage system and enters the StormTankTM.
After the fire is extinguished and the water from the sprinklers has stopped, the water in the StormTankTM is then tested to check for contamination. Once approved for discharge, the penstock valve can reopen, and the Storm TankTM is then emptied via the existing water drainage system. FP McCann’s Contracts Division were also the main contractor on site for the job. They undertook a series of works, including excavating the area housing the tank to depth; setting the external and internal walls; placing mesh for the internal base and for the in-situ roof slab.
Over 100 individual steel reinforced precast concrete panel sections were used during the installation, with the majority being manufactured at FP McCann’s Byley precast factory in Cheshire and shipped over to Belfast Docks, where they were then collected and brought to site. The middle roof panels were manufactured in Northern Ireland at FP McCann’s Knockloughrim Facility.
The sections consisted of 20 external panels, 14 internal panels and 72 roof slabs. Reid Engineering completed the installation of the precast tank in just nine days. FP McCann’s Ready Mix Concrete was also utilised for the mud mat, internal base and the in-situ roof slab, supplied from the company’s nearby Mallusk Depot.
Speaking on behalf of Colorite (Europe) Ltd, Michael Deitz, Sr. Director of Capital Project Management Tekni Plex, said: “We had to take into consideration several factors on tank design to accommodate plans for our new strategic fire prevention policy. Robustness, lifespan, space constraints, as well as low maintenance performance, were key to our choice of tank. FP McCann’s StormTank™ fitted both the design and performance criteria. FP McCann’s Contracts Division were also the main contractor on site for this work, and they managed the groundworks, in-situ concrete pours and other associated works in a timely, efficient and safe manner. We will definitely consider FP McCann for any future projects.”
FP McCann’s 100-year design life StormTank™ can be installed up to 6 metres high with no footprint size limitation and are designed for pedestrian loading through to LM1 highway loading. Internal design features can be added such as weir and baffle walls and penstocks or flap-valves can be pre-installed. It is a multipurpose panel system with a variety of uses, including:
•Attenuation Tank
•StormBrake™ Chambers
•Pumping Stations
•Large CSO Chambers
•ASP Structures
•Basements
•Clean Water Storage Tank
For sales and technical enquiries, contact Igor Skoro on 07860 204893 or email iskoro@fpmccann.co.uk
