Completion of the first phase at the Plastics Recycling Plant construction site as early as July

Demolition, chipping and crushing of almost 9,000 m3 of old reinforced concrete underground structures and construction of a temporary transformer station to supply the construction site – this is how the work started on a new Plastics Recycling Plant in Kraków. Work on the three buildings included in the investment is being carried out simultaneously. But that is not all. More than 30,000 m3 of earth has to be delivered to the site to lay the foundations for the buildings and prepare the ground for levelling.

The construction of the Plastics Recycling Plant is part of the Municipal Waste Recycling Centre under construction. Among other things, the NDI Group will construct the buildings for the production and storage of municipal waste with a total area of approximately 18,000 m2, as well as the social facilities. The scope of work also includes the implementation of the technical infrastructure necessary for the operation of these facilities. Under a separate agreement, NDI will construct an access road to the Centre from Igołomska Street for the same investor.

First tasks completed

In late 2022 and early 2023, while the design documentation was still being developed, the team carried out preparatory work, including extensive demolition, chipping, and crushing of almost 9,000 m3 of reinforced concrete structures from the former corporation foundations, as they interfered with the plans for the new development.

A temporary transformer station was built to supply electricity to the site. Earlier, earthworks were started to prepare the embankments for the foundations of the production hall, warehouse, and social building. The scope of the planned earthworks includes bringing more than 30,000 m3 of earth to the site for levelling.

Following the completion of the design phase and the granting of the building permit for large-size structures, construction work began on all the buildings in parallel. Foundations in the form of spot and continuous footing were constructed and backfilled. The installation of more than 150 prefabricated reinforced concrete columns was completed. Some of these are over 20 metres high.

“We have now completed the reinforced concrete walls in the production hall building and are constructing the warehouse building. The assembly of the steel structure for the roof of the production hall is nearing completion and we have started to cover it with trapezoidal sheeting. We are also concentrating on the installation of the plumbing and electrical systems. Construction of the social building shell is also well advanced. Due to the very tight deadline for handing over the production hall building to the investor for the installation of the process lines, which is already scheduled for August, we have opted for a high degree of prefabrication of the structural elements. In the meantime, we have completed the construction of the underground firefighting storage tank with a volume of almost 3,000 m3. Its filling for the leak test has begun. Before that, we completed some of the network works, such as parts of the external central heating and storm water drainage systems,” says Maciej Stochmal, Project Director from the NDI Group.

What are the plans for the next few weeks?

Continued assembly of the prefabricated aerated concrete walls, installation of the trapezoidal sheet roof sheathing and cladding to make the slopes airtight. Underfloor channels are being constructed in reinforced concrete to provide drainage for the technology within the production hall. Plans for the coming weeks also include the construction of industrial floors, the installation of aluminium joinery and rolling doors, and the start of insulation and road works.

“We anticipate that the air-tight closure of the production hall, including the floors, and the completion of the construction work, which will enable the investor to start supplying the technology, will take place at the end of July. This is a big challenge and, at the same time, a milestone that we intend to achieve,” adds Maciej Stochmal, Project Director from the NDI Group.

The land is owned by Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Oczyszczania w Krakowie (Municipal Cleaning Company in Kraków), which is also the investor in the construction. The implementation period is 18 months from the signing of the agreement. The investment will be carried out under the “design and build” system. The gross value of the project is over PLN 99 million.