Good neighbourly relations
When it was time for GA Industri in Smålandsstenar to expand its loading area, they took their order and walked over to their neighbour. Well, almost. After a nearly 30-year collaboration that works both ways, they share more than just an address.
GA Industri is one of the largest suppliers of sheet metal to EAB, a whopping 10,000 tonnes per year. The fact that EAB and GA are neighbours, has only served to benefit the collaboration between the companies. When it became time to expand their loading area, EAB was the natural choice of supplier for the canopy.
– We have had a very good collaboration with EAB for nearly 30 years, both as your supplier and as a customer. We are constantly growing and when it was time to expand the loading area, it was natural that we asked EAB right away, says Donald Gunnarsson, Co-owner and CEO at GA Industri.
Before building could start, there was a lot of ground work that needed to be done. Nearly 10,000 m2 of area had to be prepared for the new loading area and over 20,000 m3 of mass was removed to be able to make a large and even surface.
– We also took the opportunity to prepare for expanding the factory, as we were already in the process. We have asphalted 8,000 m2 for the loading area and we have the opportunity to expand by a further 2,000 m2. It’s going to be great, says a satisfied Donald.
Once the ground was asphalted and the foundation was in place, it was time for EAB to get to the plant. From the previous canopy, light beams, trusses and wall brackets were taken down so they could be reused, which saved more than 4 tonnes of steel.
– It was fun to be able to reuse the previous material, which is better reused than as scrap, comments Felix Andersson, Project Engineer at EAB Steel Buildings, and laughs.
Instead of a smaller canopy, as before, there will now be two. A larger one measuring almost 3,500 m2 for unloading and a slightly smaller one measuring 600m2 for containers and waste management. Being able to load and unload from lorries under a roof is a great advantage, both for the employees’ sake, but also for the material’s sake. Much of the steel that is sent is untreated and it is best that it stays out of the elements and the wind.
– To avoid accidents and collisions, there needs to be as few poles as possible for this type of canopy. This results in the use of a lot of trusses, the largest in this project is 36 metres long and weighs 5.2 tonnes. It is impressive, says Felix.