Great change often begins with a simple question: What if?
At Godwitt, innovation and growth drive our work.
As we expanded our footprint in industrial real estate, we recognized a critical gap in India’s supply chain: temperature-controlled storage facility needed significant improvement.
Having established ourselves in industrial real estate with our plug-n-play industrial storage facilities, it was a natural step to expand geographically, reaching cities beyond Ahmedabad. But we saw an opportunity to think bigger:
What if we could help address India’s temperature-controlled storage challenges?
This question set us on a journey that led to building India’s first vertical, ASRS-based temperature-controlled storage facility.
A Partnership That Changed Everything
Entering the World of Temperature-Controlled Storage
We began exploring this new domain by developing a facility tailored to Indicold's needs. They had drawn out the concept of a temperature-controlled storage facility in Mehsana, Gujarat, and the operational requirements for the same.
The project however needed additional r&d support and construction expertise to take off. Team Godwitt stepped in with the expertise, resources, and commitment to bring the vision to life.
Together we agreed on a model, where we would develop the facility and lease it to Indicold, marking our debut in the field of developing temperature-controlled storage solutions.
Overcoming Challenges
Building India’s First ASRS Multi-Client Temperature Controlled Storage Facility
Bold visions come with unique challenges. Building this facility was no different. We knew that this ambitious design would come with its fair share of obstacles. From tackling complex structural and logistics challenges to jumping the loops of government regulations and a steep technical learning curve, we faced it all.
Building the Team:
The first challenge that came our way was putting together the right team. We needed a team of consultants and vendors who could work together and had the related experience to handle a project this massive.
Along the way, we had to make several tough decisions. One of which was to take a call on the viability of the original team of consultants.
While Indicold brought a compelling idea to the table, their initial team of consultants struggled to match the project's complexity.
It quickly became clear that success would require a complete overhaul of the approach, resources, and execution strategy.
And in the end, we decided to retain only three from the original team:
- Craftsman for the racking system and ASRS technology,
- Antes for refrigeration systems, and
- Spantech for other critical components.
Once this foundation was ready, we were ready to build India’s first automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) based temperature-controlled storage facility.
Design and Construction Challenges:
- Designing a Vertical Facility : The facility required a vertical design to accommodate the stacker crane-based automated storage and retrieval system. Unlike conventional temperature-controlled storage facilities, vertical structures are designed to use ASRS to reduce the dependency on human resources. Implementing this was far from an easy feat. We crossed multiple hurdles in structural engineering, equipment, and workflow optimization in the process.
- Navigating Government Regulations: The facility’s vertical structure exceeded the standard height restrictions as per the government norms, requiring a special approval process. This meant more paperwork, multiple rounds of inspections, etc, to ensure compliance without compromising the facility's functionality. To adhere to the height restrictions of 30m from ground level, we excavated 3m underground to achieve the required total height of 33m from the base of the facility, which was essential for the vertical design of the facility.
- Learning the Technical Nuances: We believe that the success of every project is rooted in exposure to in-depth technical knowledge, adherence to best practices, and awareness of potential pitfalls. Soko by Godwitt - Dholasan being our first development in temperature-controlled storage, we ensured that our team was adept with the required knowledge at every point to ensure success.Team visits to advanced temperature-controlled storage facilities in the Philippines and Indonesia gave us critical insights into design intricacies and potential challenges.
Turning Heatwaves into Freezing Point:
The Cooling Process:
The temperatures were soaring past 40°C in Mehsana, Gujarat, the blazing summer heat testing the limits of the engineering team. Perfecting the internal climate of the facility in such adverse conditions turned out to be one of the most demanding phases of the project.
We envisioned a facility functioning at -25°C. Considering the outdoor ambient temperature of 65°C, a sudden drop in temperature would put stress on the materials, leading to structural damage. So, achieving the target temperature had to be done gradually, a delicate, methodical dance with the laws of material science.
Over a span of 45 days, we lowered the temperature to -10°C, ensuring structural integrity, and allowing the materials to adapt and shrink without damage.
Once, we hit this threshold of -10°C, Indicold took over the baton subsequently lowering it to -25°C to commence operations.
Timeline of Soko by Godwitt-Dholasan
- Construction Began: October 2023
- Facility Handover: May 2024
By the time the Soko by Godiwitt - Dholasan at Mehsana was operational, it stood as a testament to meticulous planning, teamwork, and the ability to adapt to extreme environmental challenges.
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