Projects

Aston University Pipework

Project Description

Aston University is an award-winning university located in Aston, Birmingham.

The university was founded in the 19th century when Birmingham and Midland Insitute created a School of Metallurgy. It became the Birmingham Municipal Technical School in 1895, and several other name changes before Aston gained university status in 1966.

Five schools make up the university: Engineering and Applied Science, Life and Health Sciences, Languages and Social Sciences, the Aston Medical School and the Aston Business School, with around 11,000 students combined.

Aston Business School is ranked in the Top Global 100 for Master’s in Business and Management and is triple accredited – a position held by only 1% of business schools worldwide.

Due to joining the City’s District heating system, the university required a new spine of flow and return Pipework.

We needed to fabricate and install the constant temperature pipework for the district supply.

We pre-fabricated 200m of 8″ pipework back in our workshop. We do this to minimise on-site disruption.

Our transportation team then delivered the pipework to the site. Our pipefitters and coded welders were then able to start the installation.

Following the plans, we installed the Pipework over many levels of the main University building.

The new Pipework will feed two new plants in 2 more external university buildings. The district supply is part of an ongoing project.

Project Details

Project : Aston University District Pipework

Services Required: Pipework Fabrication, Coded Welding, Installation, Project Management

Customer: Aston University

Metal Centre Warehouse Extension

Project Description

The Metal Centre, Wednesbury, are one of the Uk’s most comprehensive stockholder of stainless steel and non-ferrous products. They stock a variety of metals in a wide range of products.

Utilising Five KASTO automated material handling machines help deliver an efficient, cost-effective and reliable service within the stockholding industry.

Working from a 270,000 sq ft warehouse, they have recognised more space was required due to the growing market, so a second warehouse was purchased. This extended storage will take their total square footage up to 375,000.

They called upon Varlowe’s expertise to move some of their steel racking systems from one building to another.

They also required new racking systems, which Varlowe was able to fabricate and install. Our SEMA qualified engineers allow us to build racking systems to the highest standards in the UK.

Once installed, A load test is applied to the racking to ensure it fits the customer’s needs.

Project Details

Project : Warehouse Extension Relocation

Services Required: Manufacture, Installation, Project Management

Customer: The Metal Centre

May Farm Condensate Catch Pot

Project Description

G’s Growers Littleport Mushrooms LLP 2.5 megawatt anaerobic digestion plant provides renewable energy from using organic waste from the companies crops. Alkane Energy identified that the biogas that feeds the CHP (Combined Heat and Power Unit) was producing more condensate than the current catch pot could cope with. There existing pipe run of 8″ stainless needed to accommodate a large enough catch pot to deal with the volume of condensate from the gas.

After a site visit to gather the information we needed, we were able to fabricate a new catch pot completely off-site to avoid disruption. Once fabrication had been completed and tested, we delivered and installed the new catch pot onto their existing pipework. With the new catch pot installed and tested, they are now able to accommodate the volume of condensate produced.

For more information on the original project installed by Alkane Energy, click here for their case study.

Project Details

Project : Condensate Catch Pot

Services Required: Fabrication, Welding, Installation, Project Management

Customer: Littleport Mushrooms

Aston Uni Access Platform

Project Description

Aston University required a Access Platform to be installed in a tight spot on the roof of their European Bioenergy Research Institute (EBRI) building. This was required to accommodate access to the Gas Analysis sampling points on the CHP stack and the Flare stack of the Gasifier. After a detailed site survey of the roof area, and careful calculations, we were able to start the design process. A few drawings later, we had the final plan and was able to get to work. Due to the varied heights of the stacks, the access platform had to be manufactured in 2 stages, with hand rails and ladders attached separately, all in mild steel grade S275. Once fabrication has been completed, it was time for the structure to be delivered to the site from our workshop.

On the day of installation, we had a full contract lift team (BS 7121 compliance) to help lift the platform 28 meters into the air. After safety checks were completed, off went the 1st stage of the platform, where a team of Varlowe engineers helped guide into place. After it was securely fastened into position, off went the second stage, which was to sit on top of the first. Once both stages was in position, our engineers are now able to fix the handrails in positions and test the platforms integrity ready for sign off.

The complete access structure, handrails, and vertical access ladders were manufactured in accordance with BS EN 539, BS EN 4211 and to building regulations code of practice. All Hot Dip Galvanised to BS EN 1461.

Project Details

Project : Access Platform Fabrication

Services Required: Fabrication, Welding, Installation, Project Management

Customer: Aston University

Birmingham District Heating

Project Description

District energy systems have numerous environmentally friendly benefits; they are a sustainable, cost-effective solution to provide heating, cooling and power.

Varlowe has been working with Cofely (the UK’s largest provider of Direct Energy schemes) for several years. We have recently completed Coventry’s District heating Thermal Substation and Heat Transfer Station installations.

Our attention has now turned to the District Heating in Birmingham City Centre. We have already completed smaller projects for the district heating at Aston University, Birmingham Library, Barclaycard Arena (NIA) and Birmingham Children’s Hospital. The next project to be completed was a new energy centre situated in New Street Station.

New Street Station and the Pallasades shopping centre are currently undergoing a significant overhaul, modernising on its 1960’s look and accommodating the vast number of people who travel into Birmingham every day.

The Pallasades shopping centre, which is going to be known as Grand Central Birmingham, will include 200,000 sq ft of retail space, including the biggest John Lewis store outside of London. If you want to read more about the development, please visit www.newstreetnewstart.co.uk

The project is set to run until October 2015.

Project pictures are from various locations around Birmingham city centre, including the high street, Grand Central station plant room and on the roof of John Lewis.

Project Details

Project:

District Heating

Services Required:

Pipe Fabrication, Gas Services, Coded Welding, Repair, Installation, Project Management

Customer:

Birmingham Council And Cofely (Now Engie)

Website:

https://www.birmingham .gov.uk/

https://engie.com

Dunlop Factory Relocation

Project Description

Between April and June 2014, Dunlop Systems and Components moved from its historic Holbrook Lane site to a new facility at nearby Prologis Park.

Varlowe were primarily involved with the relocation of some 180 types of varying complexity equipment, much of it large and very heavy.

A new platform had been fabricated to reduce the use of scaffolding on-site and provides a permanent access gantry around the condensers with safety handrails/barriers and purpose-built stairways.

Dunlop components have been commended in the 2degrees Champions Awards 2015 for the new building, you can read all about it by clicking here

Project Details

Project : Factory Relocation

Services Required: Fabrication, Welding, Installation, Project Management

Customer: Dunlop Systems

We are delighted to have some great feedback from Mike Canham, Facilities and Environmental Manager following our role in relocating Dunlop Systems & Components to Prologis Park earlier this summer.

“Can I thank you for support we received from Varlowe… Could you also pass on our thanks to Bill and his team. I appreciate that the relationship was tested at times, however I re-iterate that should you need to show any perspective clients around a facility, we would welcome the opportunity to support you and offer a very good reference for the workmanship we are now benefiting from”

Mike Canham – Facilities and Environmental Manager.