Structural clout for logistics giants

A new distribution center is rising in Bornem for Lonza, the world player in pharmaceutical ingredients. The project, realized by logistics real estate developer WDP, aims for maximum efficiency, sustainability and scalability. Stabilogics from Kampenhout was responsible for the structural design - which turned out to be anything but standard.

"The building is high and has significant loads," says Eddy Hermans, director of Stabilogics. "We are talking about hefty racking, heavy flows of goods as well as heavy technical equipment. Add to that the requirements around wind load and earthquake sensitivity, and you know: this requires a thorough structural approach."

Tall, heavy and ready for tomorrow

The engineers opted for a structure with concrete columns and steel trusses with spans of 25 meters and receiver trusses of 18 meters. This provides a large free floor area, reduces steel consumption and keeps construction costs manageable. "We apply this concept more often in logistics contexts," says Hermans. "But each project requires its own form of fine-tuning. In Bornem, for example, we had to pay particular attention to torsion control and vertical load distribution. The clear height was also very decisive for the design of the structure."

Stabilogics became involved in this project through Architeam, an architectural firm it has worked with for many years. "It is estimated that some 70% of our assignments are in industrial construction, and a significant portion of those are warehouses and related projects. This steady collaboration and our experience in the field means that we are quickly attuned to each other and can switch effectively," Hermans said. Because of our execution orientation, we also work very smoothly with the contractors on site and there are no discussions about the execution method, because we think about a building in the same way design-wise and structurally.

Height also played a role. "The higher you build, the stronger the structure becomes. You don't see that, but you have to anticipate it from the beginning."

In collaboration with WDP, Architeam and contractor Verelst, Stabilogics delivered a structure ready for today's needs as well as those of tomorrow. "Our ambition is simple," Hermans concludes. "Stability must be the backbone of the building, not the straitjacket."