AlliedPanels technology and manufacturing center located in Frankenburg has been expanded. Shown in red, this expansion nearly doubles the factory floor space, adding on to the existing building erected in 2005.
From the earliest concepts, AlliedPanels planned to use a modular building concept in order to simplify future expansions. An addition expansion can be implemented as needed, increasing the size further, to 65,000 ft2.
Ground was broken for this latest expansion in May, 2008. Work is now complete, nearly doubling available floor space to 45,000 ft².
What’s new?
Outwardly, not much has changed. The factory still retains its beautiful glass and steel design. Inside, much has changed. In addition to more floor space, two loading ramps have also been added. Production, warehousing and logistics take up most of the newly-created floor space. Six additional offices have been built along the east side of the building, creating a new workplace for our quality management and procurement teams. A new conference room has also been added.
We also took this opportunity to implement a high rack storage area, including a bar code system that captures and identifies each component in our warehouse.
The earth’s interior as energy source
AlliedPanels utilizes the heat energy just below the earth’s surface. A heat pump systems take advantage of these energies. This simple, yet efficient system is sufficient to heat the entire facility in winter and cool it in summer.
From the building’s earliest conception in 2005, we planned for green technology. “Heating and cooling with a heat pump systems is very eco-friendly, because it uses the already existing energy in the interior of the earth and significantly reduces CO² emissions”, says Reinhard Kober, facility manager of AlliedPanels. This new expansion required five additional probes be drilled 200 metres each in the ground.
