Heinz Means More Beans in Bigger Factory

Location:	Melbourne
Country:	Australia
Project Size:	36,000 square metres of roofing made from ZINCALUME® steel and 45,000 lineal metres of GALVASPAN® steel purlins
Client:	Heinz Wattie's Australasia
Architect:	Biserka Resovac Millar Watson Architects Ph: 03 9699 1800
Engineer:	Bruce Gardener and Associates
Builder:	Goodwin Constructions
Products Used:	ZINCALUME® steel for Roofing Purlins made from GALVASPAN® steel

HEINZ, the company that became a household name supplying baked beans, is now distributing its products faster and more efficiently after moving into a new national distribution centre in Melbourne. Heinz Wattie's Australasia is a leading manufacturer and marketer of processed food products throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Pacific.

The company distributes tens of thousands of cans of HEINZ, WATTIE'S and other branded foods daily from its new Altona North distribution centre.

The HEINZ centre's roof incorporates more than 36,000 square metres of cladding made from ZINCALUME® steel.

Biserka Resovac, a graduate architect with Millar Watson Architects, said detailed design plans for the warehouse and office space were drawn up to create a clean and simple look.

The eaves of the office building were folded to give a channel design while an angled roof with thin eaves created a simple yet attractive design feature.

"We specified the use of roofing made from ZINCALUME® steel for both the warehouse and the office because of its functionality and good looks," Ms Resovac said.

"The use of ZINCALUME® steel made the offices look quite stunning and matched the overall look of the factory."

Developed in 1976 by BlueScope Steel, high strength ZINCALUME® steel continues to set the standard for corrosion resistance and long life.

Goodwin Constructions Managing Director Robert Goodwin said ZINCALUME® steel was the ideal roofing solution for the factory because it was long-lasting, strong and quick to install. Design engineer Bruce Gardener of Bruce Gardener and Associates said more than 45,000 lineal metres of purlins made from GALVASPAN® steel were used in the project.

The purlins were rollformed by Metal Form Structures and were erected together with the structural steel by Trojan Specialised Structures Australia to achieve greater spans and save money in comparison to hot rolled steel purlins.

The BlueScope Steel made high tensile steel strip at the core of GALAVASPAN® steel ensures that purlins and girts are made of the highest strength and quality to achieve a strength to weight ratio 60 percent greater than traditional hot rolled structural steel typically used for purlins.