Timbertank Enterprises Ltd has just completed its fifth water storage tank at Fonterra's Southland plant at Edendale. Nothing unusual in that, except for the enhanced safety features using timber as opposed to steel, for access to the tank roof.

Justin Jordan, TTEL managing director, said the request from Babbage Consultants, project manager on site, was to provide a stairway, landing platform and safety handrail around the top edge of the tank's roof.

"It was pleasant to be able to build in an attractive feature to what is normally industrial design," said Justin.

At 2150m3, the tank is the largest built for the company on this site (to cope with increased production) and this required a good-sized staircase, designed and constructed by Timbertank staff.

"Design was no problem and it's much more attractive than a steel system, and safer too," says Jordan. "Of course it's tanalised just like the tank itself and will have the same life expectancy."

27m3 of tanalised timber went into the tank walls, with a further 14m3 for the roof structure. It took the Timbertank construction team just six weeks to do the whole job.

This work was part of the $212 million upgrade to the Fonterra site making it now the biggest dairy manufacturing site in the world.