The keys to a new 522,000 sq ft warehouse and office complex have been handed to global transport and logistics company DSV.
Contractor Winvic Construction has formally handed over the huge site on the new Mercia Park industrial complex in west Leicestershire.
It is part of the 238-acre Mercia Park distribution complex being built at Appleby Magna, next to junction 11 of the M42, which will eventually support around 3,400 jobs.
Winvic is also building a 2.94 million sq ft global parts distribution centre at the site for Jaguar Land Rover.
The DSV scheme was designed, constructed and partially fitted out by Winvic during the pandemic.
Delegates from DSV travelled from the company’s global headquarters in Denmark to see the fully realised facility, which comprises three buildings with 104 dock levellers.
A large stand-alone office building was designed and executed to meet DSV’s global standard and Winvic also fitted out office spaces within the warehouse buildings.
Prominent design features to the main office include a glass lift, wood panelled walls in an oak finish and a feature staircase.
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Outside there is 381,700 sq ft of yard space plus car parking for 406 vehicles, and the programme contained all drainage, retaining wall, and hard and soft landscaping works.
Winvic construction director Rob Bullsaid: “The DSV project bucks the industrial facility trend because it comprises separate buildings for the main warehouse, cross dock and offices, but there was no doubt that we could carefully sequence the construction and fit out works to build them all simultaneously and within ten months.
“Additionally, our team led by project manager David Gilbert knew that the aesthetics, material quality and execution had to meet DSV’s high global design standards and we’re as thrilled as DSV are about the exceptional finish achieved.
"Without such a talented team who works as one and always has an eye on the joint, end-goal we wouldn’t be able to deliver schemes of this nature so swiftly, expertly and in the challenges presented by the pandemic, so thank you to them.”
Brian Winther Almind, executive vice president for group property at DSV, said: “It has been a pleasure to work in partnership with Winvic over the past year on Mercia Park and the team’s skill and knowledge has driven the project to a successful completion, on time and to budget.
“It is an important site to DSV – as it will now become home to all three of our business units, DSV Roads, DSV Solutions and DSV Air and Sea – so we’re delighted that the high-quality design, construction and finish not only meets our global standards but that Winvic has once again exceeded expectations and delivered a true flagship campus for our business.”
Winvic started works for site developer IM Properties (IMP) to undertake the civils and infrastructure works at Mercia Park in June 2020.
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In March 2021 Winvic was appointed once again by the developer to construct the largest ever single occupier logistics park for tenant Jaguar Land Rover.
Winvic will remain on site for another year and recently announced – in partnership with IM Properties – the launch of the first ‘Future of Construction’ Training Centre, located on-site at Mercia Park.