Member Article

Viridor appoints Caulmert for key recycling project

A North Wales-based engineering, environmental, and planning consultancy has been awarded a contract to work on a key project for Viridor.

Caulmert will carry out structural design services for the waste management company as part of an upgrade to Viridor’s Crayford MRF Fibre Recovery. The site recovers approximately 110,000 tonnes of paper and cardboard from various input streams.

The project will look to reduce the non-fibre content levels in the output materials. Non-fibre content includes items such as glass and plastic

The project presents several challenges for Caulmert, which is designing the steel-framed enclosure building at the recycling site.

Associate director of structural engineering Peter Dawson said: “We have a long-standing relationship with Viridor and are pleased we have won the contract to support them on this important project.

“The site presents a number of challenges for the Caulmert team to overcome. For example, the space where the new building will be constructed is quite tight: it’s close to other buildings and fixed plant, as well as an earth bund on the site boundary, which protects against floods and limits noise.

“In addition, an existing ground slab is considered too substantial to break out in an already congested area for new pad foundations, so we decided to take cores and pile through it using small diameter steel tubes.

“The earth screening bund will be enhanced along the site boundary and all works will be carried out in accordance with the newly granted planning permission from Bexley council.

“In addition, there is an existing de-stoning machine, which can’t be moved, where the new building will go. We have accommodated that in the building envelope design, leaving the machine ‘half in and half out’.”

Caulmert is using DDM (digital drafting and modelling) services to ensure an efficient process from start to finish.

Peter added: “Everything has been drawn in 3D and we have incorporated the client’s own 3D models as well. This helps avoid delays and possible cost implications by highlighting potential clashes in the design, for example with the drainage and underground services and the process equipment and the structure.”

Founded in 2009, Caulmert is on track to meet an ambitious 15-year growth plan that would see it employ 250 people by 2024. In addition to Bangor and St Asaph, it also has offices in Altrincham, Kent, and Nottingham.

The employee-owned firm, whose projects span the UK, from the Hebrides to the Isle of Wight, counts among its clients Willmott Dixon, Stoke City FC, Wynne Construction, TGI Fridays, and Airbus.

Its expertise in a variety of planning, environmental and engineering projects is supported by the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) processes and modelling to meet PAS1192 level 2.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .