In May 2025, Xinguangzheng delivered two identical steel workshops in Mauritius. Each workshop measured 20×100×7 m. One was for growing vegetables with hydroponics. The other was for processing and packaging tropical food.
These buildings are near Beau Bassin–Rose Hill. Each one covers 2,000 square meters. They were built for the tough tropical weather in Mauritius. This includes strong cyclones with project design wind criteria up to 250 km/h. It also includes high humidity and heavy rain.
Customer Demand
Our client is a Mauritian agri-tech company. They are growing their business in commercial hydroponics. They also create value-added food products. These products are for local supermarkets and for export.
The client needed two separate workshops side-by-side. Both had to be strong enough to withstand cyclonic winds based on the agreed local design basis.
- Workshop 1: A clean space with controlled temperature. It is for growing lettuce, herbs, and microgreens using NFT hydroponics.
- Workshop 2: A food-safe area for processing. This includes cutting, washing, vacuum-packing, and preparing for cold storage.
Both workshops had to handle high wind gusts per the project wind design criteria. They also needed to resist rust from salty air. The inside temperature had to stay between 22–26°C. The humidity needed to be 60–70%, with climate control provided by the client’s HVAC/controls scope. The delivery date was set for May 17, 2025, immediately after the typical cyclone-season window (usually Nov–Apr/May).
Solutions
Xinguangzheng designed two strong portal frame buildings. We used Q420 galvanized steel. This steel is stronger than the standard Q355. It had hot-dip galvanizing for coastal corrosion protection. The connections were detailed for cyclonic conditions with defined bracing, anchorage, and bolt grades per the design package.
The roof and walls use 100 mm insulated sandwich panels. They have cyclone-resistant fastening patterns as specified in the project drawings, suitable for extreme winds.
Core Specifications:
- Dimensions: 20 m wide, 100 m long, 7 m high. No columns inside.
- Frame: Q420 portal frames. Bolted with high-strength bolts. Designed for cyclonic wind actions per the agreed design basis (equivalent peak pressures typically ~2.8–3.0 kN/m² for 250 km/h criteria, depending on code/coefficients).
- Roof & walls: 100 mm polyurethane sandwich panels with defined screw spacing and edge-zone reinforcement where required.
- Foundation: Reinforced concrete footings with a 200 mm slab, using anchorage/tie-down details per the structural design.
- Openings: Four insulated roller shutters wind-rated to the project requirement (supplier test data / documentation on file). Two personnel doors with panic bars.
- Ventilation & cooling: Ridge ventilators and 12 high-volume wall fans, prepared for future evaporative pads / HVAC integration (by others).
Food-safe & Hydroponic Extras
Workshop 1: Has a raised gutter floor with drains. It includes pre-plumbed lines for nutrients and rails for grow lights.
Workshop 2: Features an epoxy-coated floor and stainless kick-plates. It has insect-screened vents and panels for a cold room.
Implementation Process
The project was finished in 4.5 months. This was done despite the cyclone season.
The project was finished in 4.5 months, with the schedule planned around the cyclone-season calendar.
- Prefabrication (China): Took 6 weeks. Factory QA included bolt-up checks, coating/thickness checks, and dimensional inspections.
- Shipping & Transport: Took 18 days to reach the site.
- Site Works: Took 12 days. Foundations were adjusted after soil verification in variable volcanic ground conditions.
- Erection: Took 9 weeks. Frames were put up quickly. Panels and bracing were installed early to secure the envelope during windy periods.
- Handover: On May 17, 2025. Both workshops were delivered with handover documentation for the project wind design basis and installation QA (not “Category 5 certification”).
Results
The workshops have been running since late May 2025.
- They have had no reported structural damage during subsequent severe-weather events after commissioning.
- The hydroponic workshop stays at a stable 24°C, based on the client’s operational setpoints and HVAC configuration. Lettuce cycles are reported at 28 days, down from 35.
- The food processing workshop maintains 65% humidity, as monitored by the client’s facility controls. This helps reduce condensation risk on packaging lines.
- The client reports a significant rise in winter export volume, and they operate the processing area under food-hygiene zoning practices aligned with export requirements.
- The project was reported under budget because of the identical design and repeated components.
Xinguangzheng provides custom workshop building kits for all industries. Contact us today to discuss your project and discover how we can help meet your unique needs.
Client feedback (project record): Xinguangzheng delivered two robust workshops on May 17, 2025. They are clean, cool, and stable in harsh weather. It was a strong investment for our operations.
