Modular – Affordable Housing Solution – In the United States there is currently an affordable housing crisis. With the current virus, it is easy to forget the need. However, it is estimated that we as a nation are at a minimum 7.2 million housing units short. That number could be much higher according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The result is any means that could shorten the build time should be considered. Easing the burden on the affordable housing construction industry would be welcomed.
Modular elevators are designed specifically to be an easy, fast, quality solution that many in the affordable housing sector are now looking for to meet the growing nationwide need. A reputable nationwide modular elevator company is needed.
This was the case recently regarding a 51-unit housing project in San Ysidro, an area of San Diego, California. Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) was able to provide a quality elevator for the project and improve efficiency of the construction process. The affordable housing was needed and MEM helped with that need.
Patrick Meredith, Vice President of Construction at National Core, the developer, general contractor, property manager and primary catalyst for the project, decided to go with a modular elevator solution due to the benefits. He was excited to see the modular elevator craned into place and said, “The design of this project fit the modular elevator extremely well and we look forward to doing future projects with MEM.”
The San Ysidro project is a senior village with the purpose of increasing housing space in the San Diego area. But, this type of project is just one kind of various developments that National Core completes nationwide. They are a non-profit affordable housing developer, but their mission goes well beyond senior living and bricks and mortar. Family housing is also an important part of their mission and they strive to provide a community with improve neighborhood stability.
Also, through caring long-term management and maintenance they provide more than a place for families and seniors to live. They go as far as providing industry-leading services such as senior wellness, preschool and after school programs.
Regarding the San Ysidro project using a modular elevator, it is easy to see the benefits of the efficiency and time savings in this time-lapse video. Note that over half of the time-lapse is site preparation. What you do not see is that while the prep and foundation work for the site was being conducted, the high-quality modular elevator was being produced in the MEM factory.
When the site work was prepped and done and National Core wanted the elevator it was shipped on a truck and put placed in less than a day. The uniqueness of modular unit is that the simple looking hoistway in the video contains all of the elevator components pre-installed inside. Everything from the car, to the rails, doors and wiring are already done. This allows for smooth installation and faster project completion.
Meredith is convinced that modular is a wise consideration for the housing crunch saying that, “It was good to have everything dialed in.” regarding the elevator and in projects like San Ysidro “It was a perfect fit.”
If you are looking for a great alternative that can improve efficiency for your project, contact us or click the button below if you have a project in mind. We are more than happy to provide you with a Fast Track budget number in less that 24 hours. Whether you are in the affordable housing industry or any other, modular elevators are the best alternative for 10 stories or below.
Modular Elevators Improve Coordination – One thing I am missing right now is baseball. It is my favorite sport and I love to argue stats, history and of course which players are the best of all time. Does the list include Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Cy Young, Hank Aaron or all of them? Should we add more recent players like Jeter, A-Rod, Pujols, Trout or Ichiro? And what do you do with Bonds?
Anyway in my estimation, as a baseball purist, I hate the over-weighting of the long-ball in the discussion. Homers are fun to watch, but if time savings were really that important couldn’t they just cut out the overly dramatic trot like they did pitching four balls for an intentional pass? What I really like, instead of guys swing for the fence despite guys having two strikes, is the ballet that takes place on the diamond with a man on first and there is a drive up the middle. Will they turn-two? It takes perfect coordination.
Recently, when placing an elevator at a job site, the point of perfect coordination came up with the project manager. He said that you would not believe how easy the modular elevator made the entire project and how smooth things went because they went with MEM (Modular Elevator Manufacturing).
This was one of those projects that traditional elevator companies shied away from due to the way the shaft was integrated into the design. The project manager was a bit worried as it was his first modular experience. In the past he dealt with the elevator getting installed by a totally different company than the crew that builds the hoistway. This time it was all under the umbrella of MEM and the coordination between hoistway and elevator was perfect.
Because a modular elevator is a manufactured shaft to the dimensions and specifications of the project with the elevator components already installed it must be perfect, and is. In the factory, hand in glove or perfect coordination must and does take place with the buttons, car, rails, wiring and even hall calls factory installed in the horizontal shaft. It is like a well choreographed dance like a double play in baseball and it brings to mind the poem about the best known combo in baseball history a “Trio of bear cubs,” “fleeter than birds.”
Tinker – The hoistway is always perfectly square and plumb unlike their conventional counterparts. It is manufactured out of tough steel with an exterior sheathing and inspected for quality daily. It is the foundation and where everything begins.
To Evers – The hoistway is seamlessly passed down the line. Inside the rail placement is spot on and the car is aligned absolutely correct every time. The use of templates and jigs ensures a smooth ride and tolerances you will never see with a stick-built hoistway. The factory process makes all the components installed with ease and grace. Unlike the conventional process were the elevator car and components are built inside a cramped hoistway.
To Chance – The elevator is sent on to the job site and craned into place in a couple hours ready to be turned on when power is available. Each step is like the perfect double play with the team anticipating each others moves, perfectly timed.
But smooth coordination of the hoistway and elevator into one component is just the tip of the iceberg. In a building project any number of trades has to be managed and directed. It is a massive and costly undertaking to bring together all of the elements. There are dozens of workers and companies to schedule and then coordinate. The manager of this particular project said that the modular elevator helped with this too.
The modular solution removed the elevator from the critical path and simplified the project in a myriad of ways. There was no huge storage space required for crates of elevator parts and mechanic’s tools. No weather concerns delaying the elevator portion of the build. When the elevator was craned into place, it was done. All it needed was power to be brought to life in a matter of days not months.
It makes pulling the right strings easier for the management team, because there are simply fewer strings to pull.
One can argue the merits, qualities and contributions of particular baseball players forever. Who really was the greatest of all time and who deserves to be on a top ten players list? It depends on who you ask. Also what team you pull. Even what position you played growing up on bright summer days in little league or the sandlot has an influence. The stats can be used to bolster one over another and so the argument never really ends. That is part of the charm of America’s pastime. But with modular elevators, the debate is over.
There is only one conclusion. Modular elevators are the absolute best vertical transportation solution for any low to mid-rise project. And there is only one company that has the experience, proven record and quality that makes it the obvious choice. MEM. If you have a project in mind and would like to get a thumbnail number just click the button. You will receive a free, Fast Track quote. There is no doubt it will be a grand slam.
Covid Update – The corona-virus is changing the way we are looking at things in the United States and many businesses are struggling to keep their doors open and producing. Local restaurants, and small businesses are especially hard hit.
Thankful at Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) we have not had any issues related to the virus and we are still shipping nationwide, but we feel we should let you know exactly what is going on at this time.
Hopefully this covid update virus will be over soon and things will get back to normal. Keep in mind we truly appreciate all of our friends in the construction business, suppliers and future customers and we are committed to help you in anyway we can. By keeping an open line of communication we can address any issues quickly and without much inconvenience or pain. Remember we are here to help. Stay safe and germ free!
Modular Building Perception – The modular building industry continues to grow and that trend will continue unless…
First, let me say that I am huge proponent of the modular industry and modular building. I have presented the concept at conferences. And I have even served in an advisory capacity in the industry’s leading advocate and educational group. It is not just a slogan that modular building is greener, faster and smarter it is! As a result I am excited to be a part of that construction movement. Also, I have written tons of articles on the benefits and need for more modular in the future. However there is a perception problem that could derail the industry despite our best efforts.
For me I saw this “modular building perception” problem rear its ugly head in a casual conversation. It was at an impromptu reunion of old friends. We grew up in the wonder years of cul-de-sacs and bicycles. Forty or so kids had summers to roam free in the backyards and empty lots of the Westwood Hills subdivision. As we discussed old-times we started naming the families and the various homes they lived in.
The Sullivans lived in the spit-level, white house with black shutters. The Jones’ house next door was the all brick ranch with the old Corvette in the drive under a tarp. We named the family and described the house all the way around the block and then we came to the Elmer’s Glue house. Everyone at the table knew exactly which house we were talking about. It was a modular home that arrived on the back of trucks in two pieces. With children watching it got craned into place. We, being just kids, made the leap that obviously the two halves had to be stuck together. Elmer’s Glue was the solution. The popular sticky, white, school supply stuck as well and so did the name.
Keep in mind that this is in the 1970’s. In our small town a modular building was an experiment more than a solution and unheard of at the time. When finished the house appeared very modest, plain and simple in comparison to the others in the neighborhood. Also, despite being put together in an afternoon it sat empty for months gathering dust and rumors.
The unfortunate result was a perception in the developing minds of the neighborhood youth. We started believing our imaginations that the modular units are held together with nothing more than the rendered bones of farm yard animals beyond their useful state and lack quality.
John Locke addressed this as he pondered what made mankind tick or think. He adopted the “tabla rasa” (blank slate) philosophy of Aristotle. He said, “Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any ideas; How comes it to be furnished?” He would argue that is it furnished with experience and perception. That experience and perception becomes our reality and everything going forward is compared to that ever-filling slate throughout life.
I am sure that Locke is rolling over in his grave at my simplistic understanding and application, but you get the general picture. Our reality becomes what we experience not facts. So when that seemingly low-quality house was being placed in our neighborhood, a group of young people filled the paper of their minds with a negative perception of modular. This does not mean that modular is low quality – far from it. It just means the perception is there and can persist.
Actual facts about modular construction have taken hammer and tongs at the perception for years and have been making serious inroads as modular becomes more and more popular, not just in the United States, but around the world. It is greener, faster, safer and more cost effective.
But, with the reality and facts comes dangers especially when a self, proclaimed modular manufacturer puts on the market an unsafe product. It confirms the unfair perception and will give the entire modular movement a black-eye hurting the modular building perception. The now filled blank slate will be reaffirmed and the chore of telling others about the benefits of the modular movement will become more difficult not less.
We have seen this with modular elevators. Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) is working hard to promote the modular concept and part of that hard work and promotion is to make sure that the elevators we provide are actually high-quality and what we say about the product matches up with reality. When rumors abound that with another company parts fall out during installation it makes our job tougher. We have engineered quality into each product we manufacture and we have a ten-point inspection check list to verify our quality before the hoistway with the pre-installed elevator is readied for shipping.
Quality is extremely important not just for MEM but for the modular market as a whole. If pioneers of the industry such as MEM The pioneers of the industry like those at MEM continue to provide quality the future is bright. However, if also rans with low standards and low quality becomes what is sold, it will indeed be a difficult slog forward.
We love the modular industry and know most of our readers do too. So to preserve the reputation of the industry consider MEM not the others. We produce quality and our track record proves it and we are proud of it!
If quality and the modular build perception is important to you and you see a modular elevator as a solution click the button below. We will provide a Fast Track number in a day. You will find that MEM elevators are always quality elevators taking you to a higher level.
“The elevator holds everything up!” that is a common complaint among those in the modular building industry. Modular companies are growing by leaps and bounds. However, finding a way to incorporate vertical transportation quickly and smoothly was always a sticking point.
It is true that modular building is the future. It just makes sense as it means a high-quality project completed in a greener and safer way. But one of the biggest selling points with modular is the speed in which the project can be completed. Typically when you place traditional construction on a timeline there are gaps. After the permits and financing is set, the ground has to be prepped. Then the foundation is poured and infrastructure for the building brought in. Months tick by.
Meanwhile, despite the project being totally ready to go, the building makes it no further. There it sits as plans on a drawing board until the site is completely ready. Modular takes all of the waiting out of the process. The building can begin as the site is being prepped. In that way when the location is ready, modular units are ready to be immediately swung into place. It is estimated that modular building can reduce time significantly. This is because construction of the modular components can occur simultaneously with the site and foundation work. This means projects can be completed 30% to 50% sooner than traditional construction.
The modular process does speed things up incredibly fast, but there has been a huge fly in the ointment. The elevator. Despite advances in modular building, the elevator was mired in old-fashioned construction practices. Or the companies that built modular elevators were so low in quality that headaches outweighed any benefits of speed. Dangerous product were even being distributed. A new nationwide solution had to be created for the modular industry.
The results is MEM and we are increasing distribution to the whole nation. Now from New York to California and Florida to Alaska there is a true quality solution. A solution that is reliable and fast to set and start up.
As an example, realizing the need for speed and quality, MEM was called on a multi-family housing unit. It was completed on time and on budget with quality elevators. The builder’s experience had dictated that a conventional elevator NEVER gets the elevator done on time. But, they called MEM and got a taste of what we can do. Now they will never go back to any other way.
Soon modular builders will start using MEM nationwide and the complaint about the elevator holding up the project will disappear. It will be just like the solution we provided above and there will be no turning back from the quality and speed we provide.
If you have a project in mind and you are ready to try out a modular elevator, click the link below and we can give you budget numbers in a day. To fill out the Fast Track quote we just need a little simple information to get you started on a fast – safe – quality solution.
Trade Show Success! – The annual CASH (Coalition for Adequate School Housing) Conference was a huge success as it is every year. It always amazes the MEM team at how each year it grows. With that growth we get to meet new people and discuss vertical transportation for schools. CASH gives us a unique opportunity to meet not only the architects and superintendents, but people that use our elevators. From them we get to see how access is improved.
At our booth we hear the stories of replacing rusted out ramps or stairs and rickety old wheelchair lifts. For those in need and this gives us a boost of confidence and pride. Also, we are told of how we have helped save millions in additional costs. With our solution and quality elevators for new construction adding floors saves money instead of sprawling campuses.
This is not to mention the time and resources saved on the job-site when our modular elevator is chosen. We find being the best vertical transportation alternative very satisfying. We will continue to attend CASH Conferences in the future and share with our friends how we love to help.
As for those that do not see value in organizations like CASH. We feel it is their loss by turning their back on the needed mission. Some don’t attend so they can dodge questions about the safety of their product. Or maybe simply they don’t support California schools. We may never know. But one thing we do know is that MEM and TL Shield fully supports CASH and its mission. We look forward to a long relationship with them and the schools of California.
If you were not at the conference and part of the trade show success, but have a project in mind that we could be a part of, just click the button below for a Fast Track budget number. We would love to get started. Of course we will provide formal numbers or bid proposals at your request. Remember that MEM is the best option for any mid to low-rise building, especially California schools.
When you are the leader in an industry it is an obligation to educate, inform and instruct. When it comes to benefits and solutions of the products you create you must tell others. For that reason, Modular Elevator Manufacturing has launched a brand new website, modularelevator.net.
The purpose of the website is to clearly demonstrate modular elevators as the best alternative for low and mid-rise project. It is a new, easy to navigate way to increase awareness and information sharing about the modular industry and elevators.
We also want the website to offer clarity and truth in an industry that has a faltering reputation. False claims and shoddy workmanship from some in the industry have created issues that need addressing. It was time to push back on outlandish claims harming the modular elevator business and the concept of modular itself.
We wanted it to be easy so we made pages for professionals, broken down by job title. We also have pages for each industry so product models can easily be accessed. Lastly, we now provide an easy, short Fast Track numbers form. It makes contacting us as simple as a few clicks.
So to put the new website navigation and content in a nutshell, here is what to expect:
Of course this website will not be static. It will grow and information will increase as we see new needs in the industry, so check back often.
The articles area or blog will also host tons of ideas. New concepts will be spotlighted creatively. Articles will be a serious to quirky look at the largest moving object in a building. Ultimately, the website will be linked more and more to case studies and examples of how we solved problems. Easy to use and find information will be through out to help you make a wise decision regarding elevators.
One person that has reviewed the site was impressed with the information we offered and the openness of the page. They thought that maybe the competition would just copy and paste our work into their site. To us that is not important. However we do wish they would mimic our quality so the industry can grow as modular elevators are the future. We are hoping the brand new website will make it clear that MEM elevators are quality elevators taking you to a higher level.
We hope you click all the links above and explore. But, if you want to cut through all that just click the button below. In a day we can get you solid budget numbers.
Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) is now distributing their high-quality modular elevators nationwide and as a result have doubled their factory floor space.
As the demand for a high-quality modular elevators has increased MEM is ready to meet that demand with a nationwide roll out of their products. Whether for schools, commercial space, hospitality, medical facilities, multi-family units or parking structures MEM can now meet the demand from the east coast to the west coast.
The key to the increased growth of MEM and new distribution effort is their desire to provide high-quality modular elevators as an alternative to traditionally build elevators. MEM President – Tom Shield is proud of the accomplishment and business milestone, “After 40 years in the construction business and over 20 years in the elevator manufacturing industry, it was time to allow our product to be sold and installed nationwide. We have a great team that knows elevators inside out and the consistent quality we provide has made this growth possible.”
He went on to say, “It is my philosophy that good business is quality business. We do everything that we can to mitigate drama, and low quality and high drama go hand in hand. As an example of safety our EMR rating is .75, which is excellent.”
Because of the continued, steady growth MEM has acquired additional manufacturing space. The factory floor now has twice the capacity of the already successful business. The expansion allows for improvements in the manufacturing process and allows the placement of more jobs inline for completion. It is a huge expansion that MEM is ready for according to Shield, “If you are looking for a better elevator alternative and would like to consider a high-quality modular unit for mid and low-rise projects; we are ready. Our team will answer any questions and provide a Fast Track budget number in hours or over the phone if you call in. We are excited about the new factory floor space and the growth to nationwide distribution.”
The modular concept for elevators is revolutionary and MEM is one of the pioneers that saw the need for safety, quality and fast set and start up. To summarize the difference between modular and stick-built you should know that they are simply conventional elevators, just unconventionally delivered and installed. Modular elevators are the hoistway, built with tough 4X4 inch HHS (Hollow Structural Steel), wrapped in mold resistant drywall to your specification with all the elevator components already inside. That means when they arrive at the site the wiring, cab, rails and other components are already inside the structure. It is then placed with a crane at the job-site in the elevator pit in less than a day and then can be started up in less than a week. This means that it takes the elevator off the critical path saving time, headaches and hassles.
Modular elevators are also extremely flexible in use and can be included in retrofit projects, modular projects or new traditional construction. Generally any time you would use a conventional elevator, a modular can be used in its place.
Lastly, when it comes to design, MEM elevators inside the cab and on the exterior of the hoistway can carry any look or feel. Architects are impressed with their flexibility. If you would like a budget number and be a part of MEM growth on a project you currently are considering, click the button below to get the process started.
When we say quality at Modular Elevator Manufacturing, it is not just empty words or a marketing ploy. We really mean it and we wished that everyone would take it as seriously as we do. Like you, we have heard the horror story from a project with a different company where, while the elevator was hovering over the building, an elevator jack literally fell out and plummeted into the pit. It could have killed someone.
The story is shocking and absolutely true. People were in danger. Beyond that when a company puts out a product so poorly built it not only potential can harm people on the job-site it can also harm the modular elevator industry and the modular industry as a whole. We all suffer the black-eye, when quality is not just suspect, but dangerous. But MEM is different and here’s how.
To start with MEM has just been at it longer. We didn’t just pop up out of no where with no construction or elevator experience. We have over 40 years in the building industry and a 20 year manufacturing track record of success and safety. We have never – never had anything like the scare of a 300 pound jack falling from the sky. Our installs go in smoothly because we have so much more experience.
MEM elevators are also engineered with safety in mind. Usually when you say safety and elevators you are talking about for the riding public and our elevators are very safe, never putting the general public at risk. But we have engineered our products so they are also safe to install as well. Part of the many pluses of the modular industry is that it means safety on the job-site. The heavy lifting and working in cramped quarters is moved to the factory with plenty of cranes and space on the factory floor. Plus there is no working at heights while the shaft is being built like in traditional construction. If huge elevator components are falling out of a hoistway that plus of job-site safety goes away.
With MEM we understand how important work site safety is and engineer that into each and every elevator we produce. It may take more effort, higher-grade materials and more care when building them, but MEM elevators are built for safety before, during and after the set and start up.
Lastly, we check every product we manufacture with our one-of-a-kind 10 Point Inspection by a certified elevator technician. Before the elevator is loaded on the truck, we make sure of the following:
Each of the above is a part of a process that produces consistent quality. If you are not careful you could pick the wrong modular company (the one where the jack fell out). Keep in mind that it is important that it is a certified elevator technician doing the checking and not just any old employee. We have multiple employees that are qualified and capable of checking everything out. We simply cannot vouch for what others are doing, but rest assured we do our best to make sure the elevator you get is the highest quality.
Lastly, we want to assure everyone that despite the most recent debacle, modular is the safest and best way to build. Whether you are considering the method for an entire building or wanting to retrofit an existing structure with a safe, fast installing modular elevator, reputable companies in the modular building industry are ready to build faster, greener and most importantly safer.
If you are curious about modular elevators and have a project in mind that you would like a quote for, click the button below. If you want to know more details about the accident that has caused such a stir, contact me at your convenience. I am always more than happy to explain why modular is the best solution and MEM is always quality elevators taking you to a higher level.
Elevator Babies – It was hard to resist putting a photo of my 6 month-old granddaughter in this article, but I didn’t because that would be way too much bragging and she is too young to be internet famous…at least among our 20,000 readers. But while holding her in my arms I got to thinking about how wonderful being a newborn is. No responsibilities; cry you get food; cry you get changed. Babies get to enjoy a short period in their life when knowing nothing is part of the job description and it is adorable. Sleep, eat, and be held is pretty much the day in a nutshell.
When it comes to the elevator business however, being a neophyte is far from wonderful or adorable. Elevators, need I remind people, are serious. They are costly, have thousands of parts and if they are improperly built they can be dangerous to the riding public. They are the largest and most complex moving component of a building. Knowing nothing about elevators or being elevator babies, but then selling them anyway is not cute or adorable; it is a hazard that can cost time, money and potentially cause injuries. But, that is exactly what you can get if you choose to call the wrong elevator company for a bid or project.
Modular elevators are just the same as stick-built in that regard, especially when you are talking about time and money. We all know that modular building is a wave that has already crashed the old-fashioned way of doing business’ party. It is the best option for any mid-rise building needing vertical transportation and will continue to be in the future. They are simply faster and better. But, if you are not careful, there might be an amateur on the other end of the phone line, selling you up and guessing at rules and regulations. After all when you call a modular elevator company you expect they are the experts in not only modular buildings, but elevators as well, but that is simply not the case if you call the wrong one.
One of the modular companies in particular out there that sells a cheap variety of modular elevator purports to be elevator experts. They are far from it and when you know the facts it can be a bit scary trusting a sales team that has no real experience. When I say no, I mean no. Three out of four of the sales team has a combined total of elevator or modular experience of less than a year. Yes, I said combined. My granddaughter has more experience being a baby than they do individually when it comes to elevators or modular units.
But it doesn’t stop there. The Quality Control Manager and Production Manager had no experience in modular building or elevators before coming to that company. Think about that for a second. The person that is supposed to be checking on quality has never checked for quality in the elevator business. In other words, watch out! Beware! Someone selling you an expensive piece of equipment and checks for quality and production that has a direct impact on your construction timeline has little knowledge beyond pushing the up or down button.
The person you are speaking to on the phone is not who you think it is when it comes to real world experience. They maybe elevator babies!
The good news is that there is an alternative to going to the nursery for elevator and modular advice and information. This is important to know as modular elevators are the future of construction.
MEM (Modular Elevator Manufacturing) is that knowledgeable alternative that has been producing elevators longer than any current modular elevator company and measures their experience in decades, not months. They have been there, done that time and time again when it comes to construction, modular building and elevators.
If you have gotten a quote from another company…give them a call before it is too late or if you have any questions about the benefits of modular elevators or how modular can make your life easier, I would recommend that you contact Hugo Beltran hbeltran@tlshield.com at MEM. You can also get started on your project by clicking Fast Track Quote. They are a company with experience that can give an honest, fair assessment of your needs.
Babies, especially my granddaughter, should be in the arms of someone that loves them, not on the phone dolling out sage advice about elevators like they are all wise through experience that does not exist.