Wall-Wise: Will Redi-Rock Work for Industrial, Distribution, Logistics, and Data Center Projects

When it comes to retaining walls, Redi-Rock is the ultimate choice. It's strong, durable, and simple to design and install. By choosing Redi-Rock, you're tackling immediate challenges and making a savvy investment in your project's future. Those who plan are the true champions of large-scale construction, and Redi-Rock is your trusted ally in doing just that.

Why should I choose Redi-Rock retaining walls for my industrial, distribution, logistics, or data center project?

Industrial Projects Redi-Rock is a game-changer for demanding industrial projects like mining operations, railroad construction, quarries, utility facilities, and power plants. These projects require robust infrastructure, including retaining walls to carve out essential access roads, parking areas, loading zones, stock areas, and bridge foundations. With Redi-Rock, these complex sites gain the stability, durability, and versatility they need to support heavy-duty operations and withstand the test of time.

Tall MSE walls support a highway overpass to accommodate a new operations road for a mining facility.

Distribution and Warehouse Fulfillment Centers Carriers such as FedEx or UPS require large warehouses and fulfillment centers that house and sort products to be shipped and delivered.

Distribution centers require access roads, parking areas, loading docks, and stormwater management facilities. Other site infrastructure, such as bridges, may also be required depending on site conditions. Retaining walls will be needed to help sculpt and retain soil for many of these areas on site.

A West Chesterfield, New Hampshire, FedEx facility needed large retaining walls that could host additional barriers and retain soil among acres of site space. A Redi-Rock MSE wall replaced failing gabion basket walls to create sound retention solutions.

Transportation Logistics Facilities

Transportation logistics centers provide logistics services for businesses and shipping companies, including transportation, storage, and warehousing. They move goods from manufacturers to customers through the supply chain and are often located near transportation hubs.

An online retailer’s logistics complex, constructed in 2022, required the installation of a hybrid gravity/mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall to maximize site usage and access. Read how Project Redtail included the installation of a 660,000 sq ft (61316 sq m) almost immediately on an adjacent property line.

Data Centers

Data centers are massive buildings that house advanced computer systems, telecommunications components, and storage systems. Many of the brands and technologies you may encounter daily have networks of data centers that communicate with one another across the U.S. and internationally. Google, Amazon, and IBM are just a few examples.

With data management on the rise (think artificial intelligence and cloud computing), the need for massive centers to house operations is also growing. These facilities can span massive plots of land and include access roads, parking areas, and expansive buildings. Ensuring proper access for these centers requires moving soil and retaining it using a significant retaining wall system.

When considering Redi-Rock for your industrial, distribution, logistics, or data center project, you’ll want to focus on:

1. Longevity – Planning to build a facility that will stand the test of time? You’ll want a long-lasting precast wall system that leverages wet cast concrete technology to perform better with salts and other deicing products, withstand freeze-thaw cycles, and retain optimally in water conditions.

2. Top of Wall Barriers + Finishes – These facilities require a multitude of employees to operate, which means pedestrian and vehicle traffic. For safety purposes, you may need to add fences, pedestrian barriers, or guardrails to the tops of your retaining walls. Redi-Rock can host a variety of top-of-wall barriers.

3. Durability – Redi-Rock wall systems can support heavy soil loads, tame steep slopes, and handle active water conditions. With sound design and capable installation, a Redi-Rock wall requires minimal maintenance to keep doing its job.

4. Utility Requirements – Does your site feature preexisting utilities such as detention/retention basins or electrical stations? Redi-Rock’s gravity and hybrid retaining wall solutions can be constructed with minimal excavation, allowing important utility structures to maintain their integrity without interference from geogrid used in constructing MSE walls.

5. Space Restrictions — Even though land for industrial, distribution, logistics, and data center projects can span many acres, some boundaries may still make excavating for large retaining walls difficult. Minimizing excavation with a Redi-Rock hybrid or gravity wall is easy, and you’ll build a retaining wall that meets all engineered requirements.

6. Tall Walls – Big projects sometimes require tall retaining walls. Redi-Rock gravity walls can exceed 21 ft (6 m), and Redi-Rock MSE walls can reach heights over 50 ft (15 m). Both options allow engineers and designers the flexibility to confidently design the tall walls their projects demand.

7. Failing Walls that Need Replacing – Does your site currently feature failing retaining walls? Address walls that could become a major safety hazard by replacing them with Redi-Rock or building Redi-Rock walls directly in front of failing walls.

Installing Redi-Rock for industrial, distribution, logistics, and data center projects

Aggressive timelines are often attached to these expansive projects. Project owners need site solutions installed quickly, so contractors and wall installers must deliver top-notch retaining walls on tight schedules. Redi-Rock also installs much faster and easier than a hand-placed block system and is more cost-effective than a poured-in-place solution.

With Redi-Rock, contractors can rely on:

1. Speed and savings - Install roughly 750-1,500 sq ft (69-139 sq m) of Redi-Rock block daily with a 2-3 person crew. This streamlined installation reduces labor costs, and the facility can be online and operational faster.
2. Installation guides & details - With installation references and support, including construction details and installation guides, contractors will find installing Redi-Rock is just another day on the job (a good day, too!).
3. Aesthetic appeal - High-profile installations at large facilities don’t have to be plain and unimaginative. Deeply textured natural-stone-like blocks blend seamlessly with site surroundings.

By choosing Redi-Rock, project owners and contractors not only address the unique challenges of industrial, distribution, logistics, and data center projects but also demonstrate their commitment to long-term success. They can rest easy knowing they’ve invested in a lifetime wall solution, while contractors will experience smoother installations and cost efficiencies. Together, they pave the way for a future of growth and innovation, transforming vast, complex sites into operational hubs that drive industry forward.