Innovative Peikko Solutions Allow Continued Production During Factory Expansion

Continental Brands is adding 7,000 m² (8,400 sq yd) to its Johannesburg-based factory over two phases, providing additional production, storage, and office space.

Production was not interrupted at the South African biscuit producer when Peikko solutions were used to convert two ground-floor factory/warehouse buildings into multilevel structures.

Phase 1 took place in 2020 and added a 2,000 m² (2,400 sq yd) second level above the ground-floor factory (Block A). Phase 2 will see the addition of two floors to an adjacent warehouse (Block B) and the construction of a new building on an open ground situated between Blocks A and B. The open-ground building is being attached to the extended Block B to form a seamless three-story structure.

Both extension phases were designed by Marco Riccardi Architectural Design. According to Riccardi, the expansion will enable the doubling of output from two to four production lines and will provide for any future expansion of production and storage space:

“Speed of erection, column strength and the use of as few columns as possible were some of the elements that informed our decision-making process. But the fact that the production could continue during construction, was the clincher.”

The project involved using precast concrete columns and hollow-core slabs in combination with anchor bolts, column shoes, DELTABEAM® Composite Beams, hidden corbels, and COPRA® Anchoring Couplers.

Peikko’s Project Engineer, Winston Visser, said:

“We prepared a 3D model so that the client could see the precise column placement. We then drew up a detailed engineering plan, which included column design and the placement of rebar, column shoes, and the levels of the hidden corbels.”

The extension of Block B began by cutting the surface bed of the existing ground floor and casting mini-pile caps with anchor bolts. Visser advised:

“12-meter-high columns were lowered through the roof onto the mini-pile caps. Steel nuts were then screwed onto the anchor bolts to hold the columns securely in their position. The installation and securing of the columns only took a day.”

Once the ground-floor columns had been installed, construction of the second floor began. The second floor was constructed before the first floor so that when the existing steel roof of the ground floor unit was removed, the ground floor would not be left at the mercy of the elements. DELTABEAM® beams were attached to anchor bolts on top of the 12 m (39 ft) columns and hollow-core slabs were laid on the DELTABEAM® beams. The former process was completed in the morning and the latter in the afternoon. The hollow-core beams were covered with a reinforced in-situ structural topping.

The steel roof of the ground floor building was then removed, and the construction of the first floor started. It followed a similar process to the construction of the second floor with the exception that the DELTABEAM® beams were attached using hidden corbels inserted inside the 12 m (39 ft) columns.

The next phase involved installing twenty-two 7.5 m (25 ft) perimeter columns on top of the 12 m (39 ft) columns using anchor bolts and column shoes. These columns, plus a 9.5 m (31 ft) column attached to a DELTABEAM® in the middle of Block B’s second floor, were used for roof support. The new roof was connected to the columns using Peikko’s COPRA® Anchoring Couplers. Riccardo said:

“The Peikko system is transforming the South African construction landscape. We have several international clients who are moving in this direction. Besides being a timesaver, it complies with South Africa’s health and safety requirements.”

Peikko are associate members of IPHA.