One Call Does It All

“One phone call does it all.” That’s how D&G Transportation Inc. describes its capabilities and customer service to prospective new customers in temperature controlled transportation and warehousing. A 27-year-old, family-owned company, D&G offers a full menu of inbound or outbound shipping, inventory storage and brokerage services for warehousing and virtually nationwide less-than-truckload shipping.

And when D&G’s success led to the need for greater capacity, this Germantown, Wis., company called another leader in one-stop services: ESI Group USA.

ESI Group was selected to design and construct a new, 60,000-square-foot, multitemp distribution center. Completed in just seven months (two months early and under budget!) the new facility includes a warehouse freezer, cooler and dry storage areas, as well as dry and perishable docks for product receiving, order assembly and shipping. A one-story general office area and mezzanine above are included for future offices.

Keeping to one of its other core tenets— “safety first”—D&G insisted that its new warehouse meet state-of-the-art requirements to keep its people and customer products safe in an energy-efficient structure. ESI addressed those needs by designing and installing….

… flooring made with technologically advanced Ductilcrete, designed to eliminate blemishes that can appear in concrete floors. This warehouse flooring requires significantly fewer floor joints, which often become problematic.

… docks with state-of-the-art Poweramp Vertical Storing Levelers complete with integrated control stations. In addition, each dock position is equipped with a combination shelter/seal. This allows trailers to back into the dock door without having to first open the door. This ensures a greater degree of food safety by decreasing the risk of temperature loss so product is not exposed to outdoor elements.

… energy-efficient systems such as an ammonia refrigeration system complete with low- and high-temp compressors, condensers, pressure vessels, a vertical re-circulation package and penthouse style evaporative enclosures.

… energy-efficient lighting including fluorescent lighting as well as time-controlled occupancy sensors. Both the refrigeration and lighting packages qualify for rebate incentives through Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy program.

No less important, ESI designed a facility that is as attractive—as it is functional. That’s because this highly visible building is on the corner entrance to Germantown’s Industrial Park. City commissioners challenged ESI’s design capabilities by requiring an aesthetically appealing exterior in order (to avoid the standard “warehouse” look).

ESI selected decorative insulated metal panels with a stucco texture because they worked aesthetically for the office area and also functioned well for the warehouse. Panels were stacked vertically to display multiple colors of panel along north side of the building, which faces the main road. The exterior insulated finish system (EIFS) walls have a stucco texture similar to the decorative panels. This helps to break up the structure’s horizontal design. By utilizing the insulated metal panel, ESI continued the office facade along the dry warehouse walls and achieved a design that is both visually interesting and practical.