An expansive new bulk storage facility in South Australia will provide a space for 24,000 tonnes of product to be stored by Natrio, the world’s largest distributor of soda ash.
Specialists in the importation and distribution of high volume dry chemicals, Natrio chose Ahrens as the design and construct partner for the creation of their $6.1 million facility in the western suburbs of Adelaide due to their continued excellence in providing innovative and efficient bulk storage and handling solutions.
With extensive experience in designing and building fit-for-purpose solutions for the industry, Ahrens’ strong portfolio of past work for prestigious clients such as Coopers, Ingham’s and T-Ports, made them the ideal fit to deliver this vast facility.
Consisting of a 3,600m2 storage warehouse and an 800m2 undercover annex for bagging and storage purposes, the facility is used to store up to 24,000 tonnes of sodium carbonate, known as soda ash; an essential raw material used in the manufacturing of cement, glass, detergents and chemicals. The natural fine powder is imported from America and shipped to Australia where it is stored until it can be distributed to customers as needed.
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Ahrens’ collaborative and consultative approach to the design and construction process saw them working alongside Natrio to establish agreed upon project outcomes, enabling Ahrens to incorporate all components of the project in the initial design and planning stage. One such component was the allowance for bulk storage trucks to drive in and offload the soda ash, as well as the inclusion of conveyor systems and a hopper for the input and output of the product.
The facility has three main operating functions, which are product storage and stockpiling, product load-out as well as the packing of goods. Ahrens utilised in-house capabilities to provide a turnkey solution, including the supply of the structural steel manufactured in Ahrens’ local manufacturing facility at Kingsford.
With Ahrens’ competitive advantage of being a one-stop shop that could provide the design, construction, project management, structural steel and demolition works required, this made them the trusted company for the job.
Through efficient management of the project, from concept to completion, Ahrens set a high bar of manufacturing excellence that saw the client return to them, engaging the leading construction company to complete additional works for the same facility to accommodate for an increased demand for extra product.
Find out how Ahrens can take your next bulk storage and handling project from design through to construction, visit www.ahrens.com.au/bh