FMCG Distribution Warehouse — Free Zones Tema
FMCG distribution warehouse commission requiring 6000 sqm diamond-polished concrete with FF50+ floor flatness for sustained 10-tonne forklift traffic. Industrial Floors Ghana delivered phased multi-shift coordination against active distribution operations and full documentation for FMCG quality-management audits.
Project Profile
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sector | FMCG Distribution & Warehousing |
| Scale | 18,400 m² |
| Scope | FM2 superflat floor construction, full moisture barrier system, ASTM F1869 testing, laser-measured flatness certification |
| Timeline | 22 weeks, phased to allow concurrent racking installation |
| Location | Free Zones Enclave, Tema |
A multinational FMCG group consolidating its West Africa distribution operations into a single high-bay facility within the Tema Free Zones commissioned this floor as the structural foundation of a fully automated storage and retrieval system. The floor had to perform to FM2 specification across 18,400 m² — a scale at which flatness tolerances compound rapidly if methodology is not rigorously controlled from the first pour.
Specification Challenge
High-bay automated warehouses impose demanding flatness requirements because every millimetre of deviation at floor level amplifies through the mast height of a very narrow aisle (VNA) forklift. The project presented three compounding challenges:
- Sub-base variability: The Free Zones site had a history of reclaimed fill, producing inconsistent bearing capacity across zones that had to be remediated before any concrete work could proceed.
- Slab continuity across 18,400 m²: Achieving FM2-grade flatness — defined number (Ff) ≥ 50, floor levelness (Fl) ≥ 35 — across a floor of this scale required laser-screed sequencing and construction joint placement coordinated to the VNA aisle grid.
- Moisture control: Coastal Tema’s groundwater conditions demanded ASTM F1869 moisture emission testing at every pour phase, with a fully bonded moisture barrier system installed before any surface treatment.
Approach
Industrial Floors Ghana mobilised a site team with specialist experience in large-format FM2 warehouse floors. The methodology proceeded in five disciplined phases:
- Sub-base stabilisation using controlled-density fill and dynamic compaction, verified by independent plate load testing before concrete was cast.
- Laser-screed installation with F-number targeting at FM2 (Ff ≥ 50 / Fl ≥ 35), poured in aisle-aligned strips with construction joints positioned to fall outside active wheel-load zones.
- ASTM F1869 moisture emission testing conducted at each phase with independent laboratory verification, confirming vapour emission rates within acceptable thresholds before surface treatment.
- Surface hardening and sealer application to a dust-free, chemically resistant finish suited to FMCG pallet traffic and occasional wash-down.
- Laser profilometer survey across all 18,400 m² on completion, producing a floor flatness report signed and archived per DIN 18202 documentation standards.
Outcome
- FM2 flatness specification achieved and verified across all warehouse zones, with no remedial grinding required post-survey.
- Racking installation commenced within the phased handover schedule — floors in completed zones were certified and transferred while pours continued in adjacent bays.
- Moisture barrier system passed ASTM F1869 verification at all test locations, eliminating vapour-related adhesion risk for the client’s floor-mounted racking anchor system.
- Full laser flatness documentation delivered to the client’s facility management team, forming the baseline record for ongoing planned maintenance.
What This Project Demonstrates
Large-format FMCG distribution facilities operating automated handling systems cannot tolerate improvised floor specifications. Flatness deviation at this scale is not recoverable without costly remedial intervention — and remedial intervention in an operating warehouse is rarely feasible. This project demonstrates that FM2-grade superflat floors in Tema’s coastal soil conditions require integrated sub-base management, ASTM-verified moisture control, and laser-measured pour sequencing from the first day of groundworks. Industrial Floors Ghana has delivered this methodology across high-bay warehouse and distribution projects in Ghana since 1975 — a track record that specification teams reference when the floor cannot be left to chance.