Construction World December 2021

FORD FRAMELINE PROJECT SILVERTON F ord Framel ine project in Silverton Pretoria is being constructed as part of the Tshwane Automotive Hub in Pretoria for the Government. This forms part of the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) which is being built through a joint partnership with Ford and the Department of Trade and Industry. This as a move to consol idating office and warehouse space for Ford and will house most of the business units operating in this area supplying all the parts for the construction of there Vehicles. This facil ity will accommodate approximately 6 700 Ford employees. Framel ine project consists of a Framel ine Warehouse 53 000 m 2 , an eCoating and Wax facil ity of 20 000 m 2 , office space of 5 000 m 2 , with a staff facil ity, canteen areas and basement parking. Ford Framel ine factory and ancillary works in the Tasez (Tshwane Economic Zone) is underway – to construct a factory and operation that gives the opportunity and possibil ity to manufacture and export Ford Automotive vehicles from the heart of South Africa. This, Ford Framel ine, is one of the integral parts of the entire New Ford Facil ity. The approximately 78 000 m 2 internal surface beds on the project required a high-qual ity concrete floor finish to minimise the total maintenance budget of the facil ity and as short as possible construction schedule. The bulk of normal floors maintenance costs are caused by the joint’s failure in the form of deteriorated joint edges, damage by and to equipment such as forkl ifts etc. so it was decided to implement metall ic floor hardener to help curb this cost. The panel sizes were only l imited by the day casting capacity. The compressive pre – stress system allowed it to have a stronger material and stiffer section along with improved drying shrinkage control. This allowed the floor to be built without traditional reinforcing thus ensuring a shorter construction period. External concrete hardstands are made up of approximately 24 000 m 2 of 210 mm thick concrete and paving to the area. The roof steel structure designed by Zutari Es, for the Main Warehouse was economical at around 37 kg /m 2 total including columns and facades. This by using 150 deep cold formed l ipped channels spanning 5 m, designed continuous over two spans at 2,2 m c/c. Internal columns on a 25 m x 25 m grid with all being full

height steel columns internally. Perimeter columns are made up of reinforced concrete to 4 m above Finished Floor Level , with steel columns going to roof level. Girders at 25 m c/c, supporting trusses spanning 25 m at 5m c/c. Bottom chords of trusses and girders were horizontal and not sloping with top chord to simpl ify fixing of services to the steel. The project was handed over to WBHO with the first platform ready from the bulk earthworks in February 2021 with completion expected 1 February 2022. A project such as this always has a large value of imported component consisting of, amongst others Busbars, tiles, electrical equipment, dock levellers, sectional doors, HVAC equipment, l ifts, goods hoists, generators, and floor coverings. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the manufacturing of imported materials in Europe and the Far East, delays on shipping and customs delays at South African ports has been closely managed to ensure delays are minimised or mitigated to prevent any delays on the project. 

PROJECT INFORMATION

• Company entering: WBHO • Project start date: 28 January 2021 • Project end date: 1 February 2022 • Client: Tasez

• Main Contractor: WBHO • Architect: dgit Architects • Principal Agent: CSM • Project Manager: CSM • Quantity Surveyor: RPE • Consulting Engineer: Zutari

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20 th Best Project Awards 2021