Losberger GmbH Airport Case Study - Baggage Reconciliation Facility for Heathrow Airport

Challenge

As part of Heathrow Airports constant drive to increase and maintain the reliability of their baggage handling system, Losberger was approached to see if it could rise to the challenge of designing and delivering a turnkey Baggage Reconciliation Facility (BRF). The purpose of the facility is to support the new upgrades required to enable the ECAC standard 3 hold baggage screening process across all international airports. To adequately support this, the facility had to be provided as a ‘fast track’ project, which meant from the beginning of the design phase, we had to have the facility open and ready for beneficial use within 18 weeks. On top of this, the challenge was compounded further by its location, which was airside, adjacent to T5C and surrounded by 4 A380 aircraft stands which had to remain open and operational throughout, without disruption, all within the confines of the World’s 3rd busiest Airport.

Our Solution

We rose to the challenge and we completed our design phase within 9 weeks. With the clock ticking and the deadline cast in stone, we started production in our factory in Brumath, to supply a Revolution structure that is 120 m x 40 m complete with insulated sandwich panels, rapid rise doors, pedestrian doors and of course our trademark distinctive roof profile. Whilst we were manufacturing the structure, we also started to build two of our brand new concept of ‘Baggage in a Box’, which is a modularised hold baggage screening module, housing the very latest, state of the art standard 3 hold baggage screening machines. This was the key to being able to meet such an aggressive programme, due to their modular nature and plug and play abilities we were able to build, integrate and test all of the baggage Handling Systems off-site whilst the structure was being built. After many weeks of careful planning and negotiation with Heathrow operations and all their stakeholders, we arrived on site in week 12 and commenced erecting the structure. Within 2 weeks the structure was erected and we were able to deliver and install the baggage handling systems that we had previously built, tested and commissioned off site. Whilst this was happening, we were also busy attaching all off the external cladding, internal lighting and other systems. By the end of week 17, we had successfully erected our structure, tested and commissioned all of our systems and the facility was ready for beneficial use 8.5 days ahead of schedule.

Benefits

The benefits to the Heathrow were truly astounding, they received into service a fully functional, tested and commissioned facility ahead of schedule. This means that compared to the traditional ‘design and build’ approach, the savings both in time and money are absolutely huge. From a capital expenditure perspective, the value for money that this approach has brought has given Heathrow economic benefits in both the construction and operational phases that could not have otherwise been achieved. The original programme of 18 weeks seemed impossible to all but us, and with careful project planning and execution we were able to deliver this fantastic facility ahead of schedule, whilst enabling Heathrow to offer ‘Business as usual’ to the millions of passengers that fly through this hub airport every year. What better proof do you need that we can deliver?