A M King Wins 2024 Regional Design-Build Award for ALDI’s Gulf Coast Mega-Project
A M King, a leading integrated Design-Build firm with offices in Charlotte, NC, Greenville, SC, and Chicago, IL, was recognized with a 2024 Design-Build Project Team Award during the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) Southeast Region’s Annual Regional Summit & 24th Annual Awards Banquet. A M King was singled out for its exemplary project delivery of ALDI’s Regional Headquarters and Distribution mega-facility in Loxley, AL — winning Bronze in the Industrial and/or Research Facilities category. A M King project team members were on hand to accept the award at the April 23rd event, held at South Carolina’s Kiawah Island Resort.
A M King provided property consulting for repeat client ALDI US, one of America’s fastest-growing retailers, and designed and built their regional flagship facility, which serves as a blueprint for future ALDI locations as the company expands in the Southeast and across the country. The nearly 600,000-square-foot Gulf Coast operation services more than 100 stores in southern Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and the Florida panhandle — marking the company’s presence in 38 states.
Previously, A M King was honored for this same project by Associated Builders and Contractors of the Carolinas (ABC Carolinas) in that organization’s 2023 Excellence in Construction (EIC) Awards competition. A M King took home a “Best in Class” Eagle Award — ABC’s highest-level award in the Industrial/Over $50 million category; won the exclusive 2023 Carolinas Design-Build Award; and was a Finalist for ABC’s 2023 Project of the Year. Earlier last year, A M King won an Award of Merit for the ALDI-Loxley project in Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) Best Projects Awards competition for the Southeast region.
“Working together with the entire project team, our experienced design and construction professionals overcame the various project challenges one-by-one, successfully delivering this complex project in keeping with our longtime client’s critical deadline for shipping product,” said A M King President Dan Crist. “Because our company focuses 100 percent on Design-Build delivery, it’s especially rewarding to be recognized by DBIA.”
About DBIA Southeast Awards
DBIA Southeast recognizes exemplary applications of Design-Build Done RightTM that, at a minimum, resulted in highly successful Design-Build projects achieving best-value while meeting design and construction quality, cost and schedule goals. To be considered for a Design-Build award, projects must demonstrate successful application of Design-Build principles including, but not limited to, interdisciplinary collaboration in the early stages of the project and the acceptance of single-entity risk. Winning projects are honored for the advanced and innovative application of total integrated project delivery and finding unique solutions for project challenges.
Project Details | ALDI Loxley Regional Headquarters and Distribution Facility
A M King worked in tandem with ALDI to determine adequate site infrastructure requirements. The property needed to be large enough, buildable and strategically located. Ultimately, A M King assisted ALDI in acquiring a 150-acre site just north of Interstate 10, conveniently located between Mobile, AL. and Pensacola, FL. and 25 miles from Gulf Shores, AL.
The conception of this facility is a continuation of the retailer’s efforts to maximize the efficiency of their operations through facility design. Several new elements have been incorporated into the Loxley facility for efficiency, including:
- Use of insulated metal panels (IMP) in lieu of concrete tilt or precast concrete exterior panels. The warehouse is fully designed with 6” thick IMP, creating a thermally tight and efficient building envelope.
- Optimum racking organization, determined by product analysis from storage and flow perspectives.
- First ALDI distribution center to utilize cross-docking services.
- Floor-to-ceiling curtain wall around two sides of the two-story office permits large amounts of natural light to filter into the space. Large, unobstructed areas of glazing at the office allow all employees to have outdoor views.
- Restrooms, locker rooms and maintenance for both ambient temperature and cooler and freezer employees are housed in the central core of the building.
Notable sustainability initiatives in the building include:
- A full solar panel array over the dry warehouse, which sends surplus energy back into the grid.
- Drive-in style dock doors in the perishable docks provide a much better seal for a thermally tight building.
- Clerestory windows surround the dry portion of the warehouse, allowing natural light to
- offset the lighting needs within the area.
- Full LED lighting throughout the entire building and site improves energy efficiency.
The scope of work on the Loxley facility included 216,781 square feet of Dry (Ambient Temperature) Storage; 22,022 square feet of 55-degree Storage; 65,674 square feet of 34-degree Cooler Storage; 12,914 square feet of 30-degree Meat Storage; 27,975 square feet of 0-degree Freezer; 4,957 square feet of -10-degree Ice Cream Freezer; 45,779 square feet of Perishable Inbound/Outbound Dock with 38 dock positions; 82,304 square feet Dry Inbound/Outbound Dock with 49 dock positions; and 24,679 square feet of Class A office spaces.
A M King is an integrated Design-Build firm based in Charlotte, NC with offices in Greenville, SC and Chicago, IL. An employee-owned company, A M King consistently and successfully delivers quality projects throughout the United States. With an experienced team committed to protecting clients’ assets, the firm provides property consulting, design, construction, and facility services in key market sectors including food processing, food distribution, industrial manufacturing, and corporate properties.
ALDI US. ALDI is one of America’s fastest-growing retailers, serving millions of customers across the country each month. Our disciplined approach to operating with simplicity and efficiency gives our customers great products at the lowest possible prices. For seven years running, ALDI has been recognized by the dunnhumby Retailer Preference Index as #1 in Everyday Low Price.* ALDI strives to have a positive impact on its customers, employees and communities by being socially and environmentally responsible, earning ALDI recognition as a leading grocer in sustainability.** In addition to helping protect the planet, ALDI helps customers save time and money through convenient shopping options via in-store, curbside pickup or delivery at shop.aldi.us. For more information about ALDI, visit aldi.us.
