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| Doka's new international Logistics Centre  In the ongoing worldwide expansion of the Doka Group, logistics has a key role to play. Doka formwork solutions are in day-to-day use all over the world, and need to be made available rapidly at sales and logistics locations in more than 70 countries. With its new international Logistics Centre – 'iLOC', for short – Doka has put its logistics on a brand-new long-term footing. After a build-time of only 7½ months, the 50,000 m² iLOC facility at St. Georgen-am-Ybbsfelde has now commenced full-scale operation. The iLOC is also a highly forward-looking development in terms of its energy efficiency and sustainability."The new Logistics Centre is an equipment hub for the whole world", says Doka Group CEO Josef Kurzmann, adding by way of explanation: "We don't produce anything in the iLOC – what we do here is return used formwork systems to 'Doka Standard' again". This means that special formwork equipment – like the automatic climbing formwork used on the world's tallest buildings, or cantilever forming travellers for bridge-building – is delivered back to this new Doka facility for servicing and storage after it has been used. Here, Doka specialists inspect and recondition critical mechanical and hydraulic components. After being thoroughly cleaned and rehabilitated, the equipment is then available for customers to re-use on new construction projects anywhere in the world. The 50,000 m² iLOC facility was completed after a build-time of only 7½ months, and commenced full-scale operation in January 2012. The new logistics hub encompasses 48,000 m² of asphalt paving, a 2-storey office building, two warehouses with a total of 1800 m² of space, a lightweight building and two storage marquees. To provide space for its continued expansion, in 2008 Doka acquired 210,000 m² of land at St. Georgen-am-Ybbsfelde – only a few kilometres from Doka HQ in Amstetten – and has since invested around seven million euros in building and setting up the iLOC. The new facility has a washing bay, welding workplaces, special hydraulic systems workplaces and modern office premises. "The iLOC is also a 'state-of-the-art' facility in terms of its energy efficiency, and this underlines our commitment to sustainable business practices", noted Josef Kurzmann at the opening ceremony. "On both the office and warehouse buildings, Doka has observed all the criteria for low-energy sustainable building and placed great emphasis on using high-grade insulation, and heat-recovery and ground-source heating systems. We're also planning to generate our own electricity from a photovoltaic array." The workplaces at the new iLOC are pleasant and attractive, as Doka insisted on high standards of ergonomic design and safety right from the start of the planning phase. 29 staff are currently employed at the international Logistics Centre, which is designed for a total of 50 workplaces. The iLOC is also the central Doka location for the Reconditioning Service and Ready-to-Use Service quality trainers. Their job is to ensure a consistently high standard of equipment service throughout the international Doka branch network, meaning safe forming assignments on construction sites the world over. write your comments about the article :: © 2012 Construction News :: home page |