IPS Logistics Group is nearing completion of a warehouse construction project which will give it a major increase in capacity at the Port of Brisbane. The company, founded in 1996 in Narrabri in New South Wales as a baled cotton handler, now has purpose built port facilities in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

It uses computer based logistics and innovative commodity based solutions to handle hundreds of thousands of tonnes of cotton, paper, timber, seeds, grains, protein meals and other general cargo commodities each year. The IPS Logistics Group has based its growth on maximising efficiencies in every aspect of its business.

At the Fisherman's Island site in Brisbane, IPS Logistics has used of its own construction management team and a building solution which included LYSAGHT® SupaPurlins.

The innovative SupaPurlin design allows increased spacing and fewer rows of bridging, for maximum cost efficiency. It also provides extra strength without a weight penalty.

"The Fisherman's Island project involves the construction of four warehouses which will make our commodity handling operations among the most advanced in the Australia," IPS construction project manager Mick McKinnon said.

"We built two warehouses last year with 28,000 square metres of storage for cotton and paper and now we're completing two more with 30,000 square metres of capacity. When you are designing warehouse facilities it is important to obtain every possible space and material efficiency that you can. The decision to use LYSAGHT® SupaPurlins was made not just because of the material savings they provide, but because when you incorporate them in the design the savings flow on to the whole project. We used SupaZed® purlins for the first two warehouses on our nine hectare site and on the basis of the savings we achieved there we had no hesitation in specifying them for the latest two."

LYSAGHT® SupaPurlins are available in SupaCee® and SupaZed® configurations. Both types feature longitudinal web stiffeners, which considerably improve their performance and allow longer spans than conventional purlins.

"The SupaZed® purlins we specified have allowed us to span further with a smaller purlin," Mick McKinnon said. "We are spanning 10 metres using a 250 size where you would need to go to a 300 size with a normal purlin. You end up using a lighter, stronger purlin that is easy to handle. The cost effective benefit flows on to the need for fewer columns because of the longer spans. When you have a 260 metre long shed the difference between 7.5 metre bays and 10 metre bays is very worthwhile.With fewer columns there are less footings required, so the savings really start to compound." Contractor M.A.N. Rigging of Mt. Gravatt has stood the structural steel and fixed nearly 55,000 lineal metres of SupaZed® purlins for all four warehouses on the IPS Logistics site. M.A.N. Rigging manager Doug Neary said he had heard only positive feedback from workers involved in fixing the SupaPurlins.

"Stage One of the IPS Logistics project was the first time that our riggers had worked with SupaZed® purlins, so there was the natural hesitation you get with anything new," he said. "That soon disappeared when it became obvious there were only advantages. When the riggers started to lap them they commented on how easily they went together. Time wise this has been a very efficient job for us," he said. "As an example, we stood the steel and fixed the SupaPurlins for a 10,000 square metre warehouse in around two and a half weeks. The client was very impressed, because that time saving can transfer to the rest of the building activity."

LYSAGHT® SupaPurlins are manufactured on state of the art equipment and are offered on a project by project basis with full technical support which makes use of sophisticated new software and optimises designs to take advantage of the SupaPurlin specification.

State of the art SupaPurlin software is available for Engineering and Technical Consultants by contacting us.

Nearly 55,000 lineal metres of SupaPurlins was used in the construction of the four IPS Logistics warehouses, which were clad in 70,000 square metres of LYSAGHT TRIMDEK® cladding in the COLORBOND® steel colours Surfmist®, Windspray® and Deep Ocean®.

LYSAGHT TRIMDEK® steel cladding has subtle square fluting in the pans of the profile to provide strength and long spanning capabilities. It can be used to provide economical wall and roof cladding for industrial and commercial applications. A special anti-capillary groove in the side lap allows use on roof pitches as low as 2° (1 in 30) to be used. Due to its strength, spanning ability, lightness and rigidity and wide support spacings it can be used with safety, especially when used in conjunction with SupaPurlins Long lengths allow one sheet from ridge to gutter without end laps.