The construction of a new 862,000 sq. ft. cold-storage warehouse and distribution center in Phoenix gives WinCo Foods a more economically favorable way to serve its customers in Arizona, southern California and southern Nevada. That it is the largest food distribution center in the state is something for the Boise, ID-based grocery chain to be proud of. But it is also a feather in the cap of Kingspan Insulated Panels, maker of the more than 500,000 sq. ft. of insulated metal panels utilized for the mammoth building’s construction.
LTI Contracting, a recognized leader in cold storage construction since 1958, has completed thousands of cold storage facilities. Its staff is skilled in the processes needed to construct a thermally efficient energy-saving cold storage building. Such facilities are critical for WinCo Foods’ success as it continues to experience strong growth in the very competitive grocery market. After ground was broken for the new WinCo Foods Cold Storage Distribution Center in May 2013, LTI installed Kingspan insulated metal panels (IMPs) to form the exterior envelope and all interior partition walls for the building. Kingspan IMPs were also specified for an industrial-size freezer, several coolers, the dry goods warehouse, and the facility’s Truck Maintenance area.
ESI Design Group created a building plan that involved a driven streamlined construction schedule with no margins for error. Their construction management team worked closely with all subcontractors and their venders to create an organized communication loop. The entire approval and construction process from shop drawings, material approvals, scheduling, and building installation operated seamlessly. The construction schedule, from start to owner occupancy, was just 12 months long.
Kingspan 200 Inverted Rib Series 3”, 4”, and 5” insulated metal panels were specified for the building’s exterior wall package. Approximately 345,000 square feet of Kingspan 300 Minor Rib Series 3”, 4”, and 5” IMPs were installed to form the interior partition and liner walls. Over 167,000 square feet of KS42 – MF™ was specified to meet building code compliance requirements for a two-hour rated assembly partition wall. This particular insulated metal panel, made from a mineral wool core bonded with metal facings, is recommended for fire-rated wall applications. As an added benefit, it has an attractive appearance. Hercules® Cold Storage Doors, manufactured by Kingspan, were also installed by LTI Contracting for the cold storage door applications at the WinCo Cold Storage Distribution Center.
All Kingspan insulated panels made for a cold storage wall system are flexible in design, can be applied to multiple building applications, and are available in varying thicknesses. The panels provide high R-value thermal performance, superior airtightness, and low thermal bridging. The results are potential energy cost savings of as much as 30% over traditional multi part built-up systems. All Kingspan cold storage wall panels are extensively tested for compliance with various industry standards and building safety codes.
Kevin Sherman, project manager for LTI, gave several reasons for choosing and using Kingspan products. “During the bidding process, Kingspan stayed involved with product and pricing options,” said Sherman. “Their product price point was also very competitive with the market comps.” He also noted the product quality assurance offered by Kingspan to the project team. Kingspan arranged for LTI Contracting to meet the management group with a Q&A conference to review past and present projects.
One of the primary benefits of using Kingspan IMPs is that installation can occur faster than with typical multi-part cladding systems. “Kingspan offered a good business plan to assist the LTI Team with a solid project method,” said Sherman. “That helped us to keep on point and meet the client’s fast track schedule.” Day to day work also flowed easier because Kingspan provided a single point of contact, an assigned representative who had accountability and authority to work within the project’s network of managers. That was not only reassuring but was also very helpful as LTI moved successfully through all the step-by-step phases involved in such a large order construction project.
LTI was impressed that Kingspan committed to a ten-week product fabrication and delivery schedule that included manufacturing and shipping a total order of 512,866 square feet of product. It took 91 semi truckloads, each delivering an average weekly load of 51,280 square feet of Kingspan product to the project site to complete the order. “Our decision to align with Kingspan as the WinCo IMP product vender proved to be the right choice,” said Sherman. “We are very thankful for the service we received from all the personnel involved at Kingspan.”
In closing, LTI representatives said the Kingspan 200 and 300 Series panels, and Hercules Cold Storage Doors will likely be strong product lines in the Commercial Cold Storage market for many years to come. To learn more about the complete line of Kingspan cold storage products, visit www.KingspanPanels.us/products/cold-storage.