MEM System Perfect for Two Stops. If you are looking for a vertical transportation solution for two to three stories, we have it. MEM provides the best options through the MEM Elevator System. The MEM System is perfect for projects with up to 35 feet of total travel and is available for both interior and exterior applications.
The MEM System is designed specifically to be an easy, fast, and quality solution that will fit hand in glove with your projects. They come in a variety of capacities and tremendous flexibility in interior and shaft design. We can also provide a glass model.
Our Modular Elevator solution vastly improves the efficiency of the construction process. It takes the elevator off the critical path and offers time savings. That results in cost savings for the project. The fully installed elevator is set in one day. Started up in less than a week.
The MEM System is produced exclusively at the MEM factory while the prep and foundation work is being conducted. The MEM System is then trucked to the site and set into the elevator pit and placed in about 4 hours. This takes the elevator off the critical path…often before a conventional elevator would even begin to be installed.
The MEM Elevator System is in place early in the construction process. So, it can be set up as a construction hoist, under temporary power, providing additional cost savings to the project.
Incorporate us early. In that way you can accommodate the footprint, any building connections and required machine room space. This leads to a smooth Building Permit process (avoiding deferred submittals), eliminates any reconfiguration of the building and provides for efficient construction.
TLS’s experience in low rise elevators is unparalleled in the industry and gives you every advantage in your project. We work closely with Architects, Developers, your Design Team and the Contractor’s Team to assure a successful Modular Elevator project every time with dedicated project management.
Because of the flexibility built into the MEM Elevator System they are applicable in nearly any type of construction and for any type of building. Our elevators and large enough to accommodate medical facilities to small commercial quality solutions for ADA regulations.
Regardless of the type of construction or building, we will give support. We have dedicated project management. Just know that when you choose the MEM Elevator System you are getting a faster solution that reduces project interference. The units are always high-quality and there is always a team standing with you during the project.
If you would like more information regarding the MEM Elevator System for use in one of your projects please click the button below to request a Fast Track Quote. Also, you can request a factory tour to get a better perspective on the revolutionary MEM Elevator System.
Modular elevators are a great solution for modular construction projects, but often for an overlooked reason. The obvious list of benefits includes: quality factory manufacturing, less congestion on the jobsite, and the crane is already a part of the project so there is additional convenience. Although those positives are real and are a great benefit there is another factor that makes our elevators the perfect choice for any modular project.
Modular projects come in many different forms when it come to vertical transportation. Some place units around the planned hoistway. You see this most often with the inclusion of a traditional elevator in the project. In that type of construction a hoistway and pit is poured or constructed early in the build. Units are then placed to surround the hoistway.
When permanent power is supplied, the elevator is installed in the hoistway one piece at a time by an elevator crew. This process is slow, interferes with other trades onsite, and puts the builder at the mercy of the elevator mechanic. A modular elevator is better due to its flexibility.
If you chose to go with the MEM System there is no real need for a massive redesign of the entire project. All you have to do is pour a pit to our dimensions and leave a hole for the modular elevator to slip inside the building where the hoistway would have been built. Below, is a short video that shows the space left for duplexed elevators. It is then just a matter of easy insertion.
You can also see in the video that the MEM Elevator System is capable of more than just low-rise. Shipped in approximate fifty foot sections, we can provide solutions for modular projects up to seven stories, depending on total travel.
Another way to include the MEM Elevator System into your modular project is to start with setting the modular elevator first thing. Depending on the hoistway height, modular elevators are self-supporting structures. The elevator is simply put in place. Then modules go around the unit. Its just that easy.
If it is a tall enough project to require two sections, the MEM Elevator System can go in the queue with all your other modules. You set the lower section first and then set modules around the hoistway. Then place the second section of the modular elevator once you get to that level. We just need to understand your timing in advance.
Because of the flexibility build into the MEM Elevator System they are applicable in nearly any type of construction for any type of buildings. Our elevators and large enough to accommodate medical facilities to small commercial quality solutions for ADA regulations.
This is especially true for modular projects.
Regardless of the general plan, we will be with you to give support in the process and will meet with you to make sure there is a clear understanding of any requirements. Just know that when you choose the MEM Elevator System you are getting a faster solution that reduces project interference. The units are always high-quality and there is always a team standing with you during the project.
If you would like more information regarding the MEM Elevator System for use in one of your projects please click the button below to request a Fast Track Quote. Also, you can request a factory tour to get a better perspective on the revolutionary MEM Elevator System.
MEM Gains Approval Across the US – Los Angeles, CA. – Last month Modular Elevator Manufacturing made big news regarding HCD approval in California. It gained official approval for models of their MEM Elevator System in the state. But, now MEM continues to break news in the elevator and modular industry as well by adding projects in Connecticut, Illinois, Detroit – Michigan, Indiana, and Georgia this quarter.
The MEM Elevator System is a complete commercial quality elevator. It is a hoistway or shaft produced in a factory out of tough 4X4 inch steel, wrapped in drywall. Inside it contains all the elevator components pre-installed in the manufacturing facility. This includes the doors, wiring, the elevator cab, and all the buttons or hall calls. It arrives on a truck and put in place in a matter of a couple hours. When given power it is started up in less than a week.
First, MEM has produced and placed well over 100 elevators in several states, mostly in California. As MEM continues to expand and grow, jurisdictions once closed have become open to us. Along with the traction elevator approval this means more opportunities for inclusion in nearly all jurisdictions across the US.
“This is a gamechanger.” According to David Torres, National Sales Manager. “National acceptance, recognition from HCD in California, and approval to place units in Illinois, Michigan and other locations expands our opportunities. But it also expands the possibilities of a better elevator system in most states and cities across America.”
“This is a game changer!”
David Torres – MEM National Sales Manager
Torres went on to say that with the national housing shortage, modular elevators can speed any type of project to a faster completion. Many of the ponderous steps involved with onsite installation are removed as the installation is moved to a factory setting.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development gave its approval for the MEM Elevator System HW2 – 3500 product earlier this month and it will be a game changer for the elevator and construction industry. The California HCD is the state agency responsible for overseeing the planning, development, and preservation of affordable housing, as well as managing various housing-related programs and policies in California. The HCD works on initiatives to provide safe, affordable housing for residents, promote sustainable community development, and address homelessness. They also support local governments with housing policy, zoning regulations, and funding for housing projects.
This is a game changer for Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) to be approved by the HCD. It ensures that the elevators meet strict safety, building, and accessibility codes required by the state. This approval ensures that the elevators are compliant with California’s standards, particularly for modular homes and structures that often need specialized installations. Plus this speeds up the approval process by weeks if not months, significantly closing the time from concept to installation.
Here are a few key reasons why approval from HCD is so important:
This breakthrough in approval means that the MEM Elevator System structure no longer has to go through the local jurisdictional inspection process. In short, the approval by HCD is necessary for ensuring that MEM elevators are safe, compliant, and ready for use in California’s modular construction projects.
Although this is great news for Modular Elevator Manufacturing there are some restrictions that need to be explained. The designation is not on all MEM products. It is for only the HW2 – 3500. This is the best selling commercial modular elevator in California. But depending on your project it may have to go through the normal approval process.
The designation is also only for modular housing projects in California. Although, MEM distributes nationwide to a wide variety of vertical markets including, apartment complexes, commercial structures, school, colleges and universities, stadiums, hotels, medical facilities, and other types of industries, the HCD designation does not apply.
The building tie-ins are not a part of the HCD approval and must still undergo approval by the proper authorities.
It is however to good to know that the HCD has recognized the MEM Elevator System.
Finally, the construction industry will have an approved alternative to traditional elevators that slow the construction process. There is no more waiting on the elevator for projects that can use the HCD designation. As a result on these projects the elevator company will no longer get in the way and control the jobsite. Also, it speeds up the approval process by weeks if not months, significantly closing the time from concept to installation.
On a side note, the HCD designation is important for other reasons. It shows that the Modular Elevator Manufacturing process and approved products are of the highest quality. Also, they can meet stringent approval processes in most any jurisdiction. This has been seen in the many approved projects. Even in some jurisdictions that were thought to have been off limits in the past.
So, whether you are in California or any other state in the union you can be confident that the modular elevator you are purchasing is high-quality. They are even a high enough quality for approval in earthquake prone California.
If you would like more information regarding the MEM Elevator System for use in one of your projects please click the button below to request a Fast Track Quote. Also, you can request a factory tour to get a better perspective on the revolutionary MEM Elevator System.
MEM Gains HDC Approval – Los Angeles, CA. Modular Elevator Manufacturing has now gained official approval for models of their MEM Elevator System in the state of California. The MEM Elevator System is a complete commercial quality elevator. It is a hoistway or shaft produced in a factory out of tough 4X4 inch steel, wrapped in drywall. Inside it contains all the elevator components pre-installed in the manufacturing facility. This includes the doors, wiring, the elevator cab, and all the buttons or hall calls. It arrives on a truck and put in place in a matter of a couple hours. When given power it is started up in less than a week.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development gave its approval for the MEM Elevator System HW2 – 3500 product earlier this month and it will be a game changer for the elevator and construction industry. The California HCD is the state agency responsible for overseeing the planning, development, and preservation of affordable housing, as well as managing various housing-related programs and policies in California. The HCD works on initiatives to provide safe, affordable housing for residents, promote sustainable community development, and address homelessness. They also support local governments with housing policy, zoning regulations, and funding for housing projects.
This is a game changer for Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) to be approved by the HCD. It ensures that the elevators meet strict safety, building, and accessibility codes required by the state. This approval ensures that the elevators are compliant with California’s standards, particularly for modular homes and structures that often need specialized installations. Plus this speeds up the approval process by weeks if not months, significantly closing the time from concept to installation.
Here are a few key reasons why approval from HCD is so important:
This breakthrough in approval means that the MEM Elevator System structure no longer has to go through the local jurisdictional inspection process. In short, the approval by HCD is necessary for ensuring that MEM elevators are safe, compliant, and ready for use in California’s modular construction projects.
Although this is great news for Modular Elevator Manufacturing there are some restrictions that need to be explained. The designation is not on all MEM products. It is for only the HW2 – 3500. This is the best selling commercial modular elevator in California. But depending on your project it may have to go through the normal approval process.
The designation is also only for modular housing projects in California. Although, MEM distributes nationwide to a wide variety of vertical markets including, apartment complexes, commercial structures, school, colleges and universities, stadiums, hotels, medical facilities, and other types of industries, the HCD designation does not apply.
The building tie-ins are not a part of the HCD approval and must still undergo approval by the proper authorities.
It is however to good to know that the HCD has recognized the MEM Elevator System.
Finally, the construction industry will have an approved alternative to traditional elevators that slow the construction process. There is no more waiting on the elevator for projects that can use the HCD designation. As a result on these projects the elevator company will no longer get in the way and control the jobsite. Also, it speeds up the approval process by weeks if not months, significantly closing the time from concept to installation.
On a side note, the HCD designation is important for other reasons. It shows that the Modular Elevator Manufacturing process and approved products are of the highest quality. Also, they can meet stringent approval processes in most any jurisdiction. Even some that were thought to have been off limits in the past.
So, whether you are in California or any other state in the union you can be confident that the modular elevator you are purchasing is high-quality. They are even a high enough quality for approval in earthquake prone California.
If you would like more information regarding the MEM Elevator System for use in one of your projects please click the button below to request a Fast Track Quote. Also, you can request a factory tour to get a better perspective on the revolutionary MEM Elevator System.
Project manager David Torres reflects on the impact of the MEM Elevator System that was placed on the campus of UC-Irvine. Below are his thoughts on the project.
Any opportunity to enhance the quality of life for a student is fulfilling. We were tasked to supply an additional parking structure elevator at the University of California Irvine campus, that would give direct access to the dorms.
On the day of setting the elevator, I had numerous students come up to us thanking us for installing such a vital elevator. They told me that this elevator would cut down the time between rushing to class and finding parking on campus. They all had the same theme of gratitude and marveled when the crane picked up the pre-built modular elevator and set it in place.
I am delighted that I was able to make a small but import impact on the life of our local students.
University of California Irvine Parking Structure Elevator
Model- 2500
Capacity -2500 LBS
Travel – 46’
Five Stops – In Line
Modular Machine Room
Bridge Connection
Congrats to David and the whole team at MEM and T.L. Shield & Associates.
If you would like to find out more about this elevator or have a discussion about a potential project you have, click the link below to ask for pricing or get a factory tour. We provide quality – consistency and simplicity for every job we do. If you contact us you will see the difference we make. Cclick the button below to contact us.
Modular Elevators – 2 Elevators 1 School / The MEM Elevator System is most often placed in mid-rise projects for every type of build. As a result, it is easy to forget that we cut our teeth on the low-rise, two and three stop elevators designed specifically for schools.
Over the years we have placed over 100 of our units in schools alone. They are a fast solution to the problem of needing little interruption to the school year. The flexibility is not only in fast placement and start up but, they can be designed to be placed inside a project or on an exterior wall. Placement for MEM is not a usual concern as they can go wherever your architecture team deems suitable.
Below you can see a series of photographs of several school projects that successfully used the MEM Elevator System as well as a short video where 2 elevators were placed in one school.
And just in case you are curious, we can conform with any and all jurisdictional requirements. That includes the stringent requirements of the California Department of State Architects (DSA). DSA projects can sometimes be a difficulty for some solutions. But, we comply fully and are willing to work with any authority, in any state to make sure the project goes smoothly. For more information about DSA, just click this link.
So if you are in need of a school elevator anywhere in the US you can act. Or if you are just a bit curious contact us. We can provide you a seamless and easy solution to your school projects. To find out more we provide two options below.
If you have a project in mind and think we would be a solution click the Fast Track Quote button below. Fill out as much as you know on the form. We will contact you with in 24 hours to fill in any blanks and let you know a thumbnail number. We also believe in transparency, so we offer a great opportunity to schedule a live virtual factory tour. Just click the button and request a date.
Hope On Hyde Park/Los Angeles, CA – Mission accomplished. The Hope On Hyde project is a great example of everyone pulling together for a great outcome. Our small part for this affordable transitional housing community for the Los Angeles area is complete. As a result we thought we would look back at the project and the team that brought it all together.
Of course MEM had a great install team with TL Shield & Associates taking charge of the placement and start up process. C. W. Driver led the way with the overall project leadership and they were grateful for our participation. “We appreciate MEM’s experience in the elevator industry. They helped keep the project moving forward and on time.” – John Kately, Project Executive, C.W. Driver. Lastly, KTGY provided superb architectural plans, drawings and concept.
It was a team effort with us playing just a small part of the overall effort and we are overjoyed with the results.
The project was a modular build from the beginning. So, using a conventional elevator can defeat the overriding premise of using the modular concept. Modular is supposed to be faster than conventional construction. There are other positive factors such as it being safer, greener, higher quality and more cost effective, but the first thing people look at is speed to completion.
We helped with the timeline because if you have a modular project with a conventional elevator, the work can easily grind to a halt. The elevator is smack dab in the middle of the critical path and conventional elevators interrupt the general construction process in the following ways:
For all the above reasons and more, for a modular project the only solution is to place the MEM Elevator solution.
The five-story development will offer studios and one-bedroom apartments on a 0.49-acre site. Residential services and a boxing gym will be located on the ground floor. The 98-unit building will be constructed around a central courtyard, providing privacy, safety, and a deepened sense of community. Parking spaces will be provided for social services staff while each resident will have a bike storage space. Floor to ceiling glazing along the amenity space will engage the community and brings movement to the street.
The elevator for the five-story project, as you can see in the video above, was set in no time. Quite impressive even for veteran project managers. “Seeing a fully installed elevator lowered into place and set in four hours was amazing.” – Luis Cadiz, Project Manager, C.W. Driver.
The process begins with placing the mode of conveyance, an in-ground hydraulic jack. It goes in first. Then the lower a portion of the fully installed elevator and hoistway gets craned into place. Once it is set, the second section of the elevator is lowered as well and locked in. The elevator came in two sections due to transportation needs and is not unusual in the least. The units are designed to be stackable.
The entire elevator set took less than four hours and everything is already inside including the elevator car and wiring. Once power is available onsite the MEM Elevator System is ready to go. It will then be started up, adjusted and scheduled for inspection. An easy, fast, timesaving solution. The elevator is off the critical path and the all too important purpose of the building can begin changing lives sooner than if a traditional elevator was used.
TL Shield & Associates set the elevator and will be in charge of start up as well. They and Modular Elevator Manufacturing was chosen due to the expertise they provide and the superior product they offer. They have been the leaders in the modular elevator field for more than two decades.
Tough steel makes up the MEM Elevator System hoistway with production occurring in a factory environment. Installation of all the elevator components and parts then takes place. Loading and shipping occurs next when the site is ready. In four hours you will have a fully installed, commercial quality elevator ready to be started up and used.
The mission of this project is important. The elevator and the Hope on Hyde Park project are crucial to combat the growing homelessness issues in Los Angeles. There are several benefits for supportive housing with the MEM system:
In conclusion, it maybe time to explore the possibilities further regarding supportive housing elevators. Let’s see if the MEM Elevator System can meet your needs. You can click the button below for a Fast Track Quote for a project you currently are working on. However, if you want to explore it more, request a LIVE VIRTUAL TOUR. We would be happy to pull back the curtain. We will show you how we produce the industry’s most successful modular elevator solution.
People Stuck in the Elevator – It was storming pretty bad outside the hotel my wife and I were at. All day long red flag warnings were out on the beach, so we decided to stay at the hotel for supper. We were strolling towards the elevator as winds howled outside and I said, “You know, I’ve never been stuck in an elevator.” with a laugh. I pushed the button and she said, “Well you just jinxed us.”
Both of us chuckled a bit and then we heard the inviting and all too familiar “ding” as the doors opened and we stepped onboard. The doors swiftly closed behind us but then the lights flickered and we heard an unexpected clunk.
Obviously the power had been interrupted and as a result the elevators in the entire hotel came to a screeching halt. Not only that, but I am sure all sorts of services were interrupted throughout the property. As we stood there we both knew better than to panic, so we waited.
That episode got me to thinking, if I were in charge of the building what should be done? I write a lot about elevators, but I rarely write on what the building owner or property manager should do when the elevator thuds to a halt. Not that this happens often.
Elevators get stuck rarely in the United States and injuries are even rarer. Especially considering that elevators move nearly the entire world’s population or 10 billion passengers a week. There is the occasional power outage or mechanical problem, but statistically only 1 elevator ride in 12 million or so results is some kind of issue and when it does happen it is extremely minor in nature.
But, my mind could not help thinking about when you are in charge and people are getting stuck in the elevator. What should be done? So, I came up with a list of steps if it ever happens to you. Feel free to borrow or print any of this list and keep it for a reference or reminder. Just remember the most important thing is to make sure the passengers stay safe and you do what you can to get the elevator moving as quickly as possible.
One last thing, everyone on staff should know if you are the auto-dialed, priority call for the elevator car. Sometimes the emergency phones are programmed to contact the non-emergency police or fire department in the local jurisdiction. They can also be programmed to contact your elevator service company directly. No matter who is called automatically, it still does not relieve you of your obligations to the passengers. So find out what floor and open a dialog. It shows you care. Most importantly don’t let people just stand there wondering. If you do they will be thinking more of escape than waiting which is always a danger.
Fortunately for my wife and I the emergency was relatively brief unlike Nicolas White. He spent 41 hours trapped in an elevator. When the power came back on in our case, the elevator system was reset and we zoomed down to the lobby without a further care in the world. We enjoyed a great gourmet meal and had several fun conversations about getting stuck…
But we did take the stairs back to our room.
Sometimes our blog posts are not all about selling elevators, but issues like people getting stuck in the elevator. They are often about general information you might find useful. So, feel free to comment below, ask any elevator questions you would like or follow future blog posts by signing up. However, if you do have a need for an elevator and want to know a general budget number, just click below for a Fast Track number. Also click to take a virtual tour of our facility. You can see for yourself what it takes to produce the best commercial quality elevator that is set in place fully installed in less than four hours. In any case we love hearing from you!
6 Reasons Modular Quality Matters – We have all been frustrated by low quality. Items purchased in good faith sometimes seem to break before they come out of the box. Or once out of the box, they look or perform nothing like what was pictured or promised when we bought the item. Instead of being happy with the purchase, words like cheap and flimsy cross our lips, meaning that we have been had. The more expensive the item, the more remorse follows.
However, in the modular industry quality is high because we take an antiquated process where onsite construction is the norm and move it to a production facility. What was then built by various people, in various trades, in various conditions becomes an orchestrated symphony of production. Historically poor quality and high cost is moved to a factory where exact processes and standards can be measured and accomplished. The modular process takes various acts of individual quality to a habit of success. For instance, our factory produced hoistways are always plumb and level. That is simply due to our factory processes that cannot be accomplished on the jobsite and it shows.
“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.”
Aristotle
As Aristotle said, “Quality is not an act, it is a habit.” And those habits are formalized into higher quality with modular manufacturing. In modular building you will never hear “close enough” or “I guess we will have to make it fit.” It is right every time, because the habits that produce quality are built in.
Unfortunately, there are outliers in some manufacturing facilities. Quality becomes just a slogan. If modular quality matters why do some not improve quality? Procedures are skipped, shoddy workmanship is allowed, new practices are slow to be adopted or worse continued tinkering and “problem solving” doesn’t allow for systems to work. In other words, if you have a team of problem solvers constantly changing the system in an unorganized fashion, the quality will undoubtedly suffer.
At Modular Elevator Manufacturing we make sure changes to procedures are checked and double checked before becoming standard operating procedures because modular quality matters. One person cannot just change something at a whim, even if it is generally a good idea. The procedure must likewise be changed with the whole team being aware of any alterations. That is where habits of quality are formed for the whole organization.
We agree with the Phil Crosby philosophy of quality and as a literal rocket scientist he knew a thing or two about it. He said, “Quality is the result of a carefully constructed cultural environment. It has to be the fabric of the organization, not part of the fabric.” Quality is not posters, or slogans or bright ideas that get used once and then forgotten.
For us quality is a top-down effort and philosophy emanating from senior leadership and permeating the organization at every level. Quality is crucial and should matter that much at every business. It does at Modular Elevator Manufacturing where we take quality seriously.
With that said here are the 6 reasons quality matters for us at MEM. There are probably more but these came to mind:
The entire premise of modular construction is that by instilling factory processes into the construction trade, the industry can produce a higher level of quality, faster and often at a reduced cost. That is what we do at MEM day in and day out. However, when slipshod practices and lack of experience infiltrate the market, quality declines. Then the premise of factory production being better comes under attack.
Whether due to ignorance, no experience or a desire to make a fast buck, when quality is ignored the reputation of the industry gets sullied. The result is a better process that produces a better product (safer, greener and faster) becomes more difficult for the consumer to accept. Who knows how many dollars, how much time and how much energy has been wasted. How many injuries could have been avoided? All due to a very small number of businesses that do not see quality as important.
That is why at MEM we do not think “close enough” is good enough. We know that low-quality has a cost to the industry, the customer and to safety. We strive for quality in all we do. Whether you need a multi-family unit elevator or one for a medical facility, an elevator for a retrofit project or new construction we provide a quality solution.
If you have tried modular elevators before and found that the quality was not as promised, don’t give up. Instead give MEM a try. We live by the above list of 6 reasons modular quality matters. You will not be sold a bill of goods for a fast buck, but instead you will find a partner providing quality you can count on.
If you have a project in mind just click the button below, we can get you budget numbers in less than a day. Of course you can also call us anytime, and have a real conversation with an expert in the elevator industry. We are looking forward to talking to you. You can also click the link for a tour of our facility. Also, we are proud of what we do and how we do it. So, if you are curious schedule your live virtual tour today.