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You 'pump' up this portable warehouse

20th January 1967
Page 28
Page 28, 20th January 1967 — You 'pump' up this portable warehouse
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

ARANGE of inflatable warehouses—Airhalls—supplied by Barracudaverken AB, of Stockholm, is being introduced into this country by the Beach-Grundy Company, Woodcock Hill, Kenton, Harrow.

Made of Barradon reinforced with nylon, the skin is only 1mm, thick but the covering is claimed to be immune to decay and Airhalls have been tested with no ill-ends in the Arctic and the Sahara. Materials are guaranteed for 2 years but a 10-year life, or more, is anticipated.

Warehousing and transport are closely integrated. Fluctuating demands may require distribution points to be moved within a region; equally, export packing needs, often arising at short notice, point to the usefulness of a portable warehouse or transport building capable of quick erection or dismantling.

11 basic sizes of Airhalls are available ranging in length from 40+ ft. to 188 ft. and in width from 20+ ft. to 100 ft. Heights vary from 9+ ft. for the smallest size to as much as 50 ft. for the larger versions.

Erected on a concrete raft, the--Airhall is inflated by two electrically driven fans which force air under pressure to the inside of the hall. In the event Of a power failure a generator automatically takes over to maintain the pressure.

At the works of Reynolds (Packaging) Ltd., Dagenham, where the Airhall illustrated was erected by a sister Hays Wharf company, the Hays Construction Co. Ltd., provision is made for heating the Airhall. Propane gas providing warm air blasts.

I can vouch for the efficacy of the heating system, and the natural lighting provided in the roof of the envelope is surprisingly adequate for most purposes.

Internal pressure in the Airhall is 8 to 10 millimetres. on a water column, equal to the difference in atmospheric pressurebetween London Bridge and the top of Highgate Hill.

To maintain internal pressure the small door on the Dagenham Airhall opens into an "air box" chamber opening on to the Airhall floor. Vehicle access is contrived by means of batteries of impeller fans which draw air into the hall to compensate for the air loss when the main door is opened.

The Dagenham Airhall weighs about 4+ tons, and dismantled, consists of 30 wooden cases. It was erected in four days and can be dismantled in a day. A larger building can be constructed around the Airhall and the Airhall then deflated and taken out through the warehouse doors, for re-erection on a new site.

The cost of Airhalls varies according to specification; vehicle doors as high as 13+ ft. can be fitted, but these are considerably more expensive than the more usual 10+ ft. high doors.

An average cost, including heating units and fans but excluding lighting would be 13s. 6d. per square foot--which, I understand, compares favourably with the cost of temporary structures built with conventional materials.

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Locations: Stockholm, London

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