Global automotive specialist selects BAM for Wiltshire factory

The Wiltshire-based company supplies advanced testing systems to the global motor industry, for research and development and for production quality control.

On a greenfield site, BAM will create a steel-framed new factory and associated offices including a bespoke fit-out for the specialist nature of the company’s automotive operations.

The scheme, designed by Bath based SRA Architects, comprises the design and construction of a new engineering and workshop facility plus two storey office.

The ground floor has a main entrance and reception, café, conference facility, specialist machine workshop and assembly areas. These are divided into an assembly area, machine shop, and robotics workshops.

The first floor will contain offices, a design floor, electrical assembly, soft meeting area, and storage. The flexible spaces can easily be reconfigured.

External works include hard & soft landscaping, service yard, car parking, secure fencing and gates with a tree and shrub planting scheme. Thoughtful details include orientating the new structure to minimise solar heat gain and studding the roof with north-facing skylights. This allows the manufacturing floor and first floor offices to be flooded with natural light which provides a pleasant working environment and helps the company’s technical operations.

BAM’s appointment follows a competitive two-stage tender process BAM being selected to work with the client throughout the second stage. The construction value of the contract is around six million pounds. BAM has built up a track record in the industrials sector with recent schemes for Rolls-Royce, Unilever, and Airedale International among others.

AB Dynamics was founded by Tony Best in 1982. It supplied the first steering robot for quantitative vehicle testing on the track in 1998, and has now supplied over 600 driving robot systems around the world, making it the number one supplier in this field.

It was also an early pioneer of the use of an inertial GPS motion pack to control the path of a vehicle in 2001, and in 2007 was one of the first manufacturers to sell a system for testing vehicles on the track without a driver onboard - the award-winning Driverless Test System.

BAM’s appointment is the latest in a succession of highly complex buildings for customers in the technology field. It recently created the new Airedale International Cooling Systems HQ in Rawdon, Leeds, and a Control and Data Systems building (a Rolls-Royce subsidiary) in Birmingham.  It is currently building two manufacturing and innovation schemes with Unilever and the University of Liverpool as well as educational buildings such as Leeds Manufacturing UTC.

For BAM, Construction Director Neil Dorrington said: ‘This is a fascinating scheme that requires our technical experience and a close working partnership with our client. It also shows our versatility in our markets, sitting well alongside our other technically challenging buildings like the Living Systems Institute for Exeter University.’

Tim Rogers, managing director of AB Dynamics, said: ‘We are pleased to be working with a highly experienced contractor to deliver what is an important facility and a milestone in the company’s growth plans for the future.’

BAM is currently engaging in several weeks of enabling works while contracts are being finalised. The new building should hand over in autumn 2017. Mann Williams is the structural engineer and M&E is provided by Hulley and Kirkwood. Rowney Sharman is both QS and project manager.

Further information: Mark Slattery, Press and Media Manager, BAM Construct UK Ltd, 01442 238415.