Our brief was to design a state of the art rail-served steel store, on behalf of multi-modal distribution company AV Dawson Ltd and Tata Steel. In particular, our client needed the design to enable them to meet ‘just-in-time’ manufacturing demands, whilst providing a humidity controlled environment, capable of handling and storing up to 58,000 tonnes of steel coil.

An innovative air handling dehumidification system prevents condensation to ensure the steel is kept in pristine condition. Ground source heat pumps, driven by solar panels, are incorporated to supply heat and power. Since its completion, the unique £6.5m rail-served steel store has been crowned Northern Winner in the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Building Excellence Awards.