Manufacturing logistics and supply chain

Manufacturers must be prepared to respond to disruption, mitigate risk and build resilience into their supply chains. We help by combining our industry knowledge, strategic design with our engineering expertise.

Post-pandemic, there has also been a transformative shift in the way manufacturers and distributors think about their global supply chains: the previous focus on low costs and lean inventory is moving to one that prioritises stability and resilience.

Arup’s services are tailored to optimise every aspect of your operations, safeguarding coordination and ensuring continued productivity. We can measure the resilience of both your organisation and its supply chain by creating a unique multifactor organisational resilience framework for your organisation. This data-driven approach determines your areas of strength and vulnerability, enabling us to design and implement solutions that fortify your operations against potential disruptions.

Our specialists can conduct a comprehensive analysis of the risks, trends, and opportunities specific to your business. This approach allows us to anticipate challenges, adapt to industry trends and capitalise on emerging opportunities. Aligning engineering solutions with this strategic foresight can ensure that your logistics and supply chain infrastructure is not only robust but also positioned to thrive in the face of evolving market dynamics.

Mr Price distribution centre in KwaZulu-Natal

Mr Price Distribution Centre

Processing over two million items per day, the Mr Price distribution centre is the first highly mechanised warehouse of this scale in South Africa. It's the main logistics site of Mr Price – an established retailer focused on affordable clothing and household items.

We supported the design and delivery of the facility, providing a range of services including civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering.

Our design proposal aimed to bring sustainability to every part of the structure by relying on an advanced building monitoring system, which turned the facility into a smart-enabled warehouse. Controlling the lighting as well as monitoring the energy consumption across the site, it allowed a reduction in energy consumption, and its associated greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, it extended the product life of various accessories such as lights, improving their replacement cycle and lowering the use of raw materials.

After assessing its economic feasibility, a solar panel roof system was installed which will reach a capacity of over 1,600kW at full build-out, harvesting over 2 million kWh per year. This will lead to a significant reduction of electricity coming from fossil fuels and their associated greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition to energy use, water consumption was also minimised. We installed a rainwater harvesting treatment plant and 2,455m³ of storage which allowed the implementation of sustainable water management practices by reusing natural sources. The installation was big enough to supply most of the potable water requirements, reducing indirect carbon emissions.

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Industry and manufacturing

Our global track record in industry and manufacturing spans more than half a century, covering the breadth of the sector – from transportation to consumer products, to food and beverage, green energy manufacturing and logistics.

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