Costco warehouses

[hokie66]

This American company has developed a dozen or more large box stores in Australia, and more are planned.

I notice from visiting a couple in Australia that they use open web steel joists, like the US commodity item, for roof framing. Are these joists imported or fabricated here?

The company has also recently developed a warehouse in Auckland, soon to open. But from photos, this one is more the Australasian style of structure.

Anybody familiar with the construction and how the buildings work laterally?

 

[rowingengineer]

After this post I stopped in at the closest one to me, and your right they are very American type design, I pulled out my phone and started taking photos and promptly got kicked out by security. Wasn't the smartest thing I have done. But from what I saw I could see some bracing to the bottom cords along the rafter line but nothing across.

 

[human909]

I pulled out my phone and started taking photos and promptly got kicked out by security.

I would have started to claim my 1st, 2nd and 31st amendments rights! (Whatever they are!) I'm tempted to go to Costco myself now!

So very typical of Costco to have EVERYTHING American including the steel design (and likely fabrication). It would make me wonder if it meets AS standards. I'd very be curious on the type of bolts whether they are AS1252 or some imperial doohicky. We can all remember the failure that was Masters Hardware and the influence of the US partner Lowes in approaching things in a US way rather than something that suits Australia.

For any US readers. Plenty of US brands and companies do quite well in Australia and even use Australia as a testing ground before rolling out things in the US. But US brands that come into Australia and expect to roll out carbon copies of their US formats generally end annoying locals and failing. Costco sort of fits this description but their slow and limited penetration into the Australian market has meant that they have retained enough interest to stay afloat.

Regarding engineering. US codes are naturally different from Australian codes. From what I've seen I wouldn't argue that Australian codes are better, but as a local engineer I would get a little indignant if they rolled things out using US standards.

 

[dik]

My computer build, 4 computers back (about 8 years ago) used M.2 chips from Australia because they weren't available in NA at the time...

So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[hokie66]

Masters/Lowes failed here because Bunnings tied up many brands which were already familiar to Australians. Dulux for one, and although the US brands like Sherwin Williams were good, they couldn’t get traction. I for one liked Masters, as it provided good competition for the monopolistic Bunnings.

Maybe we need to get some media involved to find out how Costco is building their big boxes.

 

[rowingengineer]

We can do a freedom of info request for the building approval. They don't cost much, I will ask and see if it is on file if I have time.