Caunton have started work at the new Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal site, designated DIRFT II.

Back in 2005 Caunton supplied 2,850te of steelwork for Tesco’s Cherokee Distribution warehouse which was located on the original DIRFT site. Developer ProLogis has extended this original DIRFT site to create a massive 500acre site by incorporating DIRFT II. ProLogis maintain this will create a site of regional, national and international importance located within the “golden triangle” favoured for national distribution centres. This second phase will provide 2million square feet of rail connected distribution space.

Caunton is now working on the first building to be built on the new site – the Zone 1 Plot A warehouse – and code named Project Lion. The company is working for main contractor VolkerFitzpatrick, designing, supplying and erecting nearly 2500te of structural steelwork. The steelwork encompasses – 824,000 sq feet – in metric terms over 400 metres long and nearly 200 metres wide – in fifty one bays and in six spans – a lofty 16 metres clear to eaves – some large structure!

Moreover the warehouse includes a 3,700 sq meter mezzanine floor to one side of the building, which is supported externally by the portal frame columns and internally by columns on a 16m x 16m grid. The contract also includes a separate three storey 778 space steel framed car park.

Caunton is fast becoming the country’s number one design & build steelwork contractor for distribution industry projects.