Project Management – The Change Problem / When it comes to the English language “change” is a neutral term and as a result can either be good or bad depending on the circumstance. On the good side an IT manager just reminded me that changing my password is a good thing. Especially true if your current password is “password” or “123456”. My very wise mother once told me to change my underwear routinely (just in case I get hit by a car). Every time daylight savings rolls around we change batteries in our smoke detectors. Good plan. And finally, change is a no brainer if a better idea comes along…like modular elevators instead of conventional. But that’s a blog post for another day.
On the other hand change can be not only bad, but very bad. New Coke was a bad change, at least to the devoted fans of the original. They were vindicated when New Coke was pulled from shelves. Remember when we had to start using Windows ME? And then Vista? Both spawned wild conspiracy theories of why they were a forced change. And I’m an old-timer so don’t even get me started on the designated hitter in baseball. Yuck!
Closer to home one of the changes that falls into the “bad” category is changing the project manger regarding an elevator project. It is a real bad idea to rotate through project leadership for a myriad of reasons. Like the old saying, “don’t changes horses in mid-stream” a project manager should be assigned and then remain on your team through out the project. They should start with the sale and progress through the installation process.
That means a consistent long-term commitment from the company as well as the individuals associated with the project. And when it comes to elevators that could be a long time. I don’t need to tell you that it is not unusual for an elevator to be ordered and it not be up and running for two years or more. Construction projects are not overnight endeavors so consistency is needed to make the elevator portion of the project go as smooth as possible.
Equally as important is that your assigned project manager is not a neophyte in the elevator business. You deal with enough bumbling fools everyday, why add another? With Modular Elevator Manufacturing we have team of highly qualified employees that know the elevator and construction industries inside and out unlike other companies. Longevity plus experience means you can trust our team over anyone else.
At MEM our process starts with a simple Fast Track quote. Next are formal quotes, drawings and engineering starting things off. The delivery date and production schedule are determined and come next. Verifying the site and pit dimensions (often skipped by others) followed by set, start up and final inspection. With MEM only one person is solely responsible for each of the steps of your project. So, for every step of that process you will have the same project manager. They will troubleshoot, give you updates you can trust and be there to hand the unit off to you when it is finished.
Many will downplay the crucial role of the project manager. They rotate through any number of them in the time between the sale and the final inspection. That means you as a customer you will be playing a guessing game. Who do I call when a challenges arise? How will I get the answers to my questions? Who will partner with me to keep my project on track?
If you are tired of the project manager merry-go-round, make one more change for better. Use MEM for your next project and see what a difference there is in the process and people at MEM. We are ready for any low or mid-rise building, from affordable housing to hospitals, parking garages to stadiums, schools to commercial structures. Quality elevators taking you higher.
Confusing Elevator Talk – In a recent Zoom conference with an architect, a simple question was posed, “Are elevators confusing on purpose?” The question made me stop in my tracks. This is the same thought that crossed my mind many times in doctor’s offices. Just replace the word “elevators” with “medicine”. It made me wonder, has our industry gotten to that point?
I’ll get to my answer in a minute but, first let me give you some context. Just prior to our online meeting my caller had just left another confab with a sales representative from a big elevator company. The salesperson was pressing for answers on a project regarding the elevator. That ball was being tossed between the architect who called me, the building owner and the construction manager. All three had questions before they pulled the trigger.
In the meeting it was discussed that the proposed elevator did not meet all the specs called out in the plans. So the architect had more queries. The owner of the building was fearful of hidden costs regarding the long-term maintenance and proprietary components. Finally the construction manager just wanted to know the particulars of the shaft and project timing. They went into the meeting thinking that they would get straightforward answers and clear their clouded minds.
Instead, none of the questions were answered in any understandable fashion and hence the Zoom call, the question and a little bit of venting.
It took a more than a couple seconds to gather my thoughts. And a few ummmhs to consider what was asked fully.
When my stammering ceased, my answer was an unsurprising yes and no. I went on the explain that of course elevators are confusing but, not on purpose. They are complex machines and usually the largest moving object in any building so very specific terms have been developed over time that means very specific things (here are a few examples). If you are outside of the elevator industry, sometimes those words can be complicated and muddy the conversation.
It is like eavesdropping on a team of doctors pondering possible treatments to an ailment. In all likelihood you would hear words that seem confusing, jargon stuffed paragraphs and three-letter abbreviations that make no sense to the vast majority of people outside of the medical profession. If I had to make a judgement call on healthcare issues based upon the inside discussions of a group physicians, I would most assuredly be confused. I am not a doctor and trust me that’s a good thing. So my limited knowledge would produce a poor outcome. That outcome would be paralysis of thought and real bad decision making.
Elevator chatter can likewise be the same. If you get in a room of elevator consultants, engineers and technicians and listen to what is being said, it would be the dizzying. Inside jokes would fly over your head and technical terms would land on deaf ears.
In the medical example, with a proper best bedside manner it all becomes clear when the doctor emerges from the circle of peers and speaks to the patient…or at least it should. My point is that elevator folks need to remember the audience when they are answering questions and discussing issues. Humility not hubris is needed and clear everyday language is the requirement not inside baseball jargon. This is not because our customers are too stupid understand! They are busy beyond belief with dozens of other building systems to manage and the elevator is just one piece. The burden is on us to clearly communicate.
But yes, elevators are complex in some ways and are confusing. They don’t need to be made confusing.
On the other hand, for years I have had the unenviable task of trying to explain elevators in simple terms. It can be done! The premise of modular elevators is that we can make high-quality commercial elevators easy to understand, purchase, set and start up. This can be hard as we are taking all the engineering of a modular tube-steel hoistway and putting all the elevator components inside the hoistway in a factory. Elevator complexity times two.
This manufacturing process must be done with the highest precision and quality assurance. The engineering must be spot on and the product must leave the facility ready to start up once up-righted at the site and the electricity is supplied. All this must be explained plainly and easily.
So, I know elevators can be made easy to understand because at MEM we have the chore of not only explaining the elevator but, the modular hoistway as well. It just seems that some in our industry gain some real pleasure in speaking over peoples heads. That arrogance leads to confusion.
Arrogance may just be the tip of the confusion iceberg however. I am convinced and so are a lot of other people in the industry that make it hard to understand intentionally. The purpose is to confuse the potential customer so selling up is easier.
Everyone that deals with old-fashioned, conventional elevators companies already knows this is at least true in part. What other motive can there be for hiding true costs? Why would they breeze over the obvious purpose of proprietary parts? What is the motivation behind the installation process being so overtly laborious and difficult to comprehend? How can the contract being filled with so many exclusions, ifs, wherefores and seemingly more fine print then a contract from Willy Wonka be explained?
One answer may lie in the words of the English philosopher and statesman who among other things developed the scientific method – Sir Francis Bacon. He is credited with saying that “Knowledge is power.” Unfortunately, there is a thought that withholding that knowledge from people will produce control and ultimately wealth. This is not a new notion.
The phrase “Knowledge is power” actually predates Bacon by centuries and contains a darker tone.
“Knowledge is power and it can command obedience. A man of knowledge during his lifetime can make people obey and follow him and he is praised and venerated after his death. Remember that knowledge is a ruler and wealth is its subject.”
Imam Ali – Nahj Al-Balagha (The Way of Eloquence) – Saying 147.5
That quote seems to be the credo of many in the elevator business. If confusion can reign and information withheld, those holding the knowledge can exploit those who don’t have it. Let me say as loudly as possible this is not necessarily a scheme or plot of an evil genius. It is an observation of human behavior. If you need an elevator, only a few have the knowledge to help and they are in control…until the advent of the modular elevator. By breaking away from the old, outmoded way producing and distributing elevators, we changed the way we talk about them as well.
So, there is an option if you have ever felt like asking the question, “Are elevators confusing on purpose?” and you are tired of confusing elevator talk. If you are not getting clear concise answers, contact us.
MEM has a dedicated force of sales representatives that are more knowledgeable than any other. We love selling elevators, but equally we love explaining them and answering questions. It is what we do; we honestly assess your needs, answer your questions and give you information in a way that will be less painful than a trip to the doctor’s office. If you have a project in mind, just click the button below to get started.
When you get over a couple of stories in a building project a man lift or construction elevator becomes a reality. Numbers bear it out even if it is a requirement based on number of stories. The need is there due to the cost of having a construction team without one tromping up and down stairs all day. Workers are simply less productive, so although the cost is often hidden in hours lost by using a staircase, it is real and real expensive.
But, then you have the added cost to your project for the temporary elevator, plus availability, the set up and inevitable delays. It seems you are either paying too much for the savings if you get one or you simply don’t have a construction elevator onsite at all because for a low or mid-rise project it seems cost prohibitive. So, here’s the question: Why use a temporary construction elevator at all when a permanent modular elevator could be used instead?
It makes perfect sense. A commercial quality, modular elevator can be placed and turned on when electricity is available at the jobsite. When construction is finished, it becomes the permanent elevator.
Now before I get started, let me say up front that this is not the perfect solution for every job. If your desired use is not a low or mid-rise project it is probably not a good fit. We are simply not the best solution for high-rises.
Also, if you are wanting to move tons of palatized materials, likewise we are not a match either. Elevators designed for passenger use usually have a capacity of between 2000lbs and 5000lbs. We, of course, can make elevators that have a huge capacity weight-wise, but the cost would outstrip the benefit once the building is opened.
In addition, passenger elevators are limited in size generally. First, you have the cab size. We can make elevators with a cab big enough for a hospital bed (the only limitation is getting elevators under the overpasses on a flatbed truck). But then you have the door issue as well. Usually, passenger elevators have door openings of 36 or 42 inches, although some can be wider. Keep in mind the door opening does not extend across the entire elevator cab. So, if you want to take items to the top floor larger than the cab or the door opening our elevator is not the best way.
There are plenty of other solutions that do not involve an elevator at all if moving big, heavy items is needed. But in most construction scenarios we are the solution or at least worthy of consideration.
I like to say that this blog is designed to be informational and not just a sales pitch. The above is exhibit A of just that. Shoehorning us into a project where it is not a solution makes no sense and damages our credibility. It also damages the credibility of the modular concept overall. We can think outside of the box, and have even made round pegs fit into square holes (see this corner post project) but, modular is not always the best solution.
However, in the majority of construction projects, at the low and mid-rise level we are the solution. This is especially true if you are looking to cut costs regarding the use of a temporary elevator during the construction phase.
In other words, if moving men, tools and some materials is needed on building site, that role could be filled by the modular elevator quite easily and at minimal additional costs.
So, when you start looking at your construction schedule and logistics think about the elevator first. This is not an earthshattering thought. It is common practice for the hoistway or hoistways to be the first item on the drawing board along with stairs. But, here’s the change… don’t think just hoistway. Think fully installed elevator.
MEM elevators are the hoistways and fully installed elevator. They are a steel shaft wrapped in drywall for fire protection with a complete elevator already inside. The elevator car, rails, wiring, doors and frames are in place when it arrives at the site. In the example video below, that is what you are seeing; a fully installed elevator being set in a building.
Most projects require about 4 hours to get the elevator craned into place.
Then the start up can begin once there is electricity at the building site. Because everything is generally already installed, it takes about a week to get the elevator running. With the inspection, and following the appropriate rules for a construction elevator the modular unit can be used during the building phase.
To make the above possible keep this in mind regarding modular elevators:
Modular elevators (especially from MEM) can help you on the jobsite as both a construction elevator and passenger elevator. It can replace the cost of a construction elevator or it can bring a construction elevator to a job where one was not considered due to cost. It maybe time to consider the benefits of a modular elevator as your construction elevator solution. Click the button below below for a Fast Track quote and to get the process started.
At Modular Elevator Manufacturing we are fond of saying you get the elevator delivered when you want it. But, exactly how does that work? Obviously, you can’t decide on Friday you want an elevator and one pops up on Monday.
There is a process, however it is not laborious and in comparison to stick-built options. It is significantly easier. But, still there are things that must be done in a certain order for you to get a fully installed, commercial quality elevator set on the day you want.
First, a quick explanation as to how modular saves time and helps you with your project. This will help you see the need for the steps we have put into place. With modular construction overall the key is the period between a project being greenlit and the site prep and foundation work being completed. During that time in traditional construction there is some activity, but most of the work is in a holding pattern.
With modular all of the various components are being built during this time period. So when the cement is dry, the crane arrives and the project get’s its elevator and other modular units if any. Not to confuse matters, but it really doesn’t matter to us when you want the elevator at all. In some projects it goes in first, in others last, some in stages. It all comes down to when it is best for you as long as nothing impedes the crane putting it in place.
So now we get to our process. How does it work for your benefit by taking the elevator off the critical path. I hate to be repetitive but, just to remind you it is a fully installed elevator being delivered (car, rails, wiring, doors, etc. all inside the hoistway). In most cases it will be set in 4 hours or less and then started up when there is power. It has to be adjusted, but all that takes less than a week in most cases. Many people still don’t believe it when the unit arrives on time and completely installed. They are use to the old-fashioned way elevators are cobbled together where deadlines are more like guesses.
There are ten general steps from requesting a Fast Track Number to a fully functioning elevator. Some of the steps literally takes place overnight (like getting you a Fast Track Number). Other steps like the design phase takes a bit longer. We can expedite some of the process as well and there are things you can do to move things along. We will get to that, but first below are the standard steps.
You will notice that it takes 16 weeks to produce a high-quality product. That can be shortened, but not significantly. We produce high-quality elevators and are not a company that will rush things and put the riders at risk. Likewise, we will never compromise on safety on the construction site. Some promise an 8 week elevator, well that can cause disaster.
So to shorten the process the most important thing you can do is to get “Step 3” completed as fast as possible and provide us with a general date you would like to have to the elevator delivered. Completing “Step 3” ensures that the engineering and design will begin and providing a prospective date will allow us to plan and block out manufacturing time for you.
Another thing you can do to keep the timeline short and moving forward is being responsive to requests. Sometimes a project can be delayed for a week or more while we wait for a simple signature.
Lastly, make sure your accounting department knows the process. Sometimes internal processes can slow things down.
Remember, our goal is to get you a fully installed elevator when you want it; not too soon or too late. Communication is crucial. We will be proactive in contact with updates. Also, we understand when the delivery date changes. It is the construction business so things happen and pushing out is a reality. We will remain flexible.
To help stay flexible and informed, your primary contact will be the same person through out the entire process. The person that supplied you with the Fast Track Number will be the same person managing the project every step of the way. They are knowledgeable experts in the industry!
Because we have the most experience in the modular elevator world, we can smooth out and anticipate any problems or issues before they occur. This leads to success of your project as a whole and the elevator portion of the building. We consistently accomplish our goal for our clients of an elevator delivered they want it. We want to do the same for you. Let’s get started with a Fast Track Quote today. Click the button below.
The year 2020 has been a well-deserved punching bag. With the Covid pandemic, governmental mismanagement, the US election, forest fires from California to Australia, riots in American cities, airline crashes, earthquakes, tornados, volcanos, floods and even locust, it will go down as one of the worst years ever in many people’s minds. With bad things occurring in almost biblical proportions how can I blog 2020 Good News?
First, let me say I am purely looking at this from an economic perspective because without a doubt it has been a horrible year for many that have suffered with Covid or have lost loved ones.
And even sticking with just the economics let me acknowledge that for many 2020 has been a devastating mess. Especially in any small to medium sized business that thrives on in-person contact. Masks just don’t work when you are trying to eat out. Then you have all the rule changes about who can go where and do what. I am horrified to think about what the owners and employees of those businesses have been through. Beyond that, what happens if this drags on much longer? We will become a nation of chain restaurants and superstores with jobs permanently lost. The current shuttered stores will just disappear and mom and pop will simply have their hopes and dreams dashed.
However, in the macro 2020 becomes good when you look at humanities collective ability to thrive despite challenging times. Applications for business licenses are up surprising. We are a resilient bunch.
It is also good news if you are in very specific markets. Some have shown surprising growth despite all the bad news of the past twelve months. Who amongst us would not like to turn back the hands of time and buy stock in Netflix, Zoom, Dominoes Pizza or any number of pharmaceutical companies. They are unapologetic winners. This past year has not been bad for many with often the opposite being true.
Modular Elevator Manufacturing thankfully falls into the category of 2020 winners despite the challenges. It begins with the fact that most building and manufacturing was considered essential when others were forced to shutdown. And then generally the entire modular industry is on a continued, decades long upswing. As stated in the recent 2020 Smart Market Report for Prefabrication and Modular Construction by Dodge Data and Analytics:
Prefabrication and modular construction are both experiencing a significant expansion of interest and use as the construction industry seeks to improve safety, productivity, quality, cost, schedule and sustainability performances while continuing to face workforce shortages, cost uncertainties and other challenges.
Stephen A. Jones – Senior Director Industry Insights Research/Dodge Date and Analytics
We at MEM can anecdotally confirm the data put forth by the experts. There was a “significant expansion of interest and use”. In the year 2020 Modular Elevator Manufacturing doubled (yes doubled) sales and production. Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Hugo Beltran is proud of the accomplishment. He said, “The 2020 results are astounding and as a result we’ve had to double the factory space and output capacity. And amazingly we are projecting another doubling for 2021 based on projects already in our pipeline.” 2020 good news!
Although, Beltran would like to take credit for all the growth, he recognizes there is more at play. His team was crucial to success, but there was more. He said, “The construction industry is looking for real solutions to real problems.” And “There are economic and market fundamentals assisting us as the modular industry addresses those problems. So hard work by the MEM employees and the needs of the construction sector are pushing us forward in hitting all-time highs.”
Those needs as echoed in the Dodge report are: cost predictability, improved quality, improved safety, increased schedule certainty, and reduced waste. MEM is simply taking advantage of the opportunity by providing real solutions to longstanding problems in construction. But meeting needs must be more than marketing gimmicks or props in a storefront window or the growth will not accompany the construction market move to modular solutions.
That is why in the modular elevator segment, some flourish and prosper like MEM, while others struggle. While some have to explain away shoddy work and poor engineering. MEM demonstrates what decades of experience can provide with superior service, workmanship and engineering. It is why some struggle with growth despite a market that is booming. While at the same time MEM discusses a Midwestern facility to meet national sales demand. MEM can say 2020 good news (at least in some respects), others are just glad to see it go.
Hopefully for all 2021 will mean a return to more prosperous times and not just some segments. But one thing for certain, if predictions are anywhere close to correct and the market continues to embrace modular solutions in construction, MEM will be a leader in the elevator industry with more growth yet to come.
If you want to be a part of the solutions provided by the modular industry we are willing to help. We will answer any of your questions and provide a Fast Track quote. If you have a low or mid-rise project just contact us. Click the button below and fill out the information. A quote will be prepared and sent to you within 24 hours.
Elevator secrets can mean more than you think. If you are in the process of buying an elevator for a building project watch out. Realize you need help! But despite pushing the help button often none is found. The reason is because there are dozens of dirty little elevator secrets the major elevator companies don’t want you to know about.
That should be no surprise. After all the elevator industry is more cloaked in darkness than the Illuminati or the New World Order. They tend to hide what they do and lurk in the fog regarding important items like: costs, timelines and motives. So, in this blog post I will shine some light on just two of the biggest elevator secrets. You will also be given tips on how to shed some much needed light yourself on an industry that desperately needs it.
But first, why do they hide the information? Let me tell you, it is not an evil plot devised by a cat stroking Bond villain. It is a more mundane motive. Money. If you, the consumer, are not given clear factual information, the likelihood is you will make poor decisions regarding vertical transportation. Also, you will become more reliant on the elevator company itself for the limited facts that are available. So your decisions will be made with few and skewed facts and that will ensure you bleed money and they get richer. The result is overall lifetime cost of an elevator becomes much higher than advertised. So let’s get started with just two elevator secrets.
The first elevator secrets is the real profit for the major elevator companies in maintenance. To make money they need to keep you under their thumb regarding the contract. Otis in a recent SEC filings said, “New Equipment and Service, which, for the year ended December 31, 2019, contributed 43 percent and 57 percent of our net sales, and 20 percent and 80 percent of our total segment operating profit, respectively.”
Did you get that? That means is that new equipment or elevator sales while important is no where near as profitable as the maintenance. And to keep the money rolling in, unknowing customers are being pushed into making decisions that increases the profit of the elevator company through the maintenance contract not the elevator itself. How do they do this?
The vast majority of people that ride in an elevator don’t give it a second thought. The doors opens, they walk in, push a button and go up. They do not care about the mechanical means of conveyance at all. But, selling up to a different type of elevator conveyance can make a bigger profit for elevator companies through the maintenance agreement. So…they push specific elevator types that increase the maintenance contract price. This is despite most riders or building owners not caring a wit about how they get from point A to point B.
So, when I personally speak to people that are being oversold on the type of conveyance it makes me a little steamed. Let me be blunt. If you are being sold a traction elevator (the kind with ropes) for a low-rise application you are most likely being oversold. You are more than likely being taken advantage of.
Why? Because the long-term maintenance contract for a 3-stop hydraulic elevator is around $200 per month (depending on where and other factors). For a 3-stop traction it can be $600 or more per month (depending on where and other factors). Need more convincing? Do the math. The lifespan of a typical elevator is 20 years (240 months). With hydraulic maintenance cost around $200 a month, that is $48,000 over the lifespan of the elevator. A traction elevator on the other hand, at $600 a month is approximately $144,000 over the lifetime.
Now you know why they upsell unwitting customers on traction when often it is not needed. They will even discount the initial sales price on traction units to make less upfront as a way to garner longer, more profitable returns. A real quick note, hydraulic elevators are not inferior just less expensive to maintain. Also, this is not a screed against traction units. Sometimes they are needed. We just honestly assess your project and make recommendations rather than selling you up to something you don’t need.
But that is not the end of the elevator secrets and profit motives. When the light bulb goes off and you realize you have been duped. And you are overpaying and try to get out of the contract so you can competitively shop it, you can’t. That is because part of that cheap up front price usually includes proprietary parts in the elevator system. In simple terms, proprietary parts makes it impossible for anyone to maintain it . Of course other than the elevator company you bought it from. You are stuck. The elevator with proprietary parts requires special tools programmed for your specific elevator. There is no advantage to these tools. They are just the keys to a prison you cannot escape from.
There are also lots of other contractual tricks of the trade to keep you locked in as well; like auto-renewals. Auto renewals are common place with almost everything now-a-days. Phone service to online entertainment auto-renews all the time. But elevator maintenance contracts often auto-renew with an annual increase built in. You miss the tiny renewal window, you can’t get out. The contracts are often multi-year (usually 5 years) and are very lopsided in exclusions and other factors.
The second of the dirty little elevator secrets is the major elevator companies don’t really manufacture elevators at all. Well, at least not in the way we generally think of manufacturing. They do produce some components, but in real terms they are bundlers of other companies parts and pieces. They crate them, ship them and screw them together on site. But the elevator is not manufactured at all, and the parts they actually make are limited. Believe it or not elevator companies have admitted that the real “manufacturing” takes place at the jobsite.
Think about it this way, if General Motors only crated up parts and dropped them off at your front door, you would not consider the car to be a manufacturer. That would be a preposterous notion. Then later in cold or heat, rain or snow it would be put together. A mechanic would meander to your house at their leisure and cobble all those parts together in a process that takes months in your driveway. You would laugh out loud if cars were “manufactured” that way. Yet that is what is done regarding elevators.
This truth reveals a couple of realities. The elevators they sell are screwed together with very little supervision, inspection or quality control. They are cobbled together in dark and cramped environs and in all sorts of challenging conditions. Also, the safety and quality of the elevators rests in a single inspection. At the end of the process they’re given a green light or a punch list of code violations to fix. If that one inspector, in one visit misses something, they just do. Also, the code inspector is not necessarily looking for fit and finish, just functionality and code compliance.
Because traditional elevator companies just really gather elevator components from others, then anyone can buy those components and provide a better, truly manufactured solution. That’s what happens with a modular elevator. We purchase the same or comparable parts, and actually manufacture an elevator in a factory. It is much faster, greener and safer.
Inside a modular unit you will find the same parts because there are precious few elevator component producers. Where different parts are used, due to the level of regulation in the elevator industry, they are all high-quality. All must pass muster of regulating agencies and the elevator code. We just produce the product in a much better and smarter way.
What ultimately makes the difference is that modular elevators are actually manufactured in an assembly process. They are not pieced together in less than optimal working conditions. Imagine that! They are inspected daily for fit and finish. They are always plumb and square because checking quality is as easy as walking the factory floor. The units are produced horizontally so inspections are routine and daily.
Also, because it is manufactured you decide when it arrives. It is then shipped and is placed on-site. This ends workplace interruptions and the elevator is no longer holding up other’s work. They free up work space and the elevator is off the project’s critical path.
The set is less than a half a day. The startup less than a week. And get this, the elevator can be used for construction in some cases! A better elevator because the process is better. Same quality components, manufactured smarter.
Below is an honest list of things to look out for on your next elevator purchase. However, it is a bit self-serving. We feel MEM is the best alternative for quality, safety and cost-effective vertical transportation. However, your decision must be made based on facts and below are some to consider. So, look over this info to avoid some of the dirty little elevator secrets. Feel free to challenge us with questions about our process and products:
Finally, consult, challenge and discuss. Biased? We are. But not regarding the conveyance type. We will be honest and fair. On our factory floor you will find hydraulic elevators and even roped hydraulic units as well to meet your needs. Our bias is based upon modular being a better way to produce elevators, not the elevator itself. We will recommend what you need and price anything else you want or have speced in.
If you are curious and would like more information just click the button below. In 24 hours we can produce a thumbnail price for any project. Remember with us there are no secrets! Just straight forward talk from people that care about you and your project. We are highly experienced in the elevator industry and hope you will join the elevator revolution.
Perfection is a word that is not used very often. And it is also almost never used in the construction industry. But, there is such a thing as perfection even in the building trades and it is more common than you think. Its just not common with a traditional elevator installation. With MEM elevators however, perfection comes easy and it is a good thing it does.
Maybe we think of perfection being so rare because when the word is used in everyday conversation it is often associate with singular events or rarity at an extreme level. Think about a perfect game in baseball. In nearly 220,000 games played in Major League history, there have only been 23 official perfect games pitched and no hurler has thrown more than one.
No one claims to have ever had a perfect golf score…it would be 18 for a single round. Instead we measure ourselves against par. Even past North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il could only muster a score of 38 with 11 holes-in-one in his fabled round. Pretty good for the first time on a golf course, but still no where near perfection. Although if prevarication were a sport, Kim would at least come home with a medal.
Speaking of medals, in gymnastics perfection was so rare that when Romanian, Nadia Comaneci reached perfection in the 1976 Montreal – Summer Olympic games, there weren’t enough digits prior to the decimal point on the scoreboard. To the confusion of the crowd, after a seamless performance the score was shown as a paltry “1.00” instead of the ten she had earned.
But, astoundingly at Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) perfection is commonplace, especially when it comes to the hoistway. So here’s why that accomplishment is so important and the how we daily accomplish such a seemingly rare feat; the feat of perfection.
A hoistway, otherwise known as an elevator shaft is the backbone of the elevator system. It must be perfectly plumb and level. Just like in human anatomy where everything hangs from the backbone, so too do many of the elevator components hang from the shaft.
Like the old song “The head bone’s connect to the neck bone.” etc. The elevator rails are connected to the walls of the shaft. On those rails the elevator car rides. How plumb, level, stable and sturdy that shaft is often determines how smooth and quiet the elevator car will go up and down.
If you have ever been in an elevator car that rumbles, or rattles it may be that the backbone (hoistway) is out of alignment. That can shorten the life of the elevator system and drive the passengers riding in it a bit crazy.
In simple terms, the reason for the rattling in traditional elevators is often that clips are attached to the inner hoistway wall and on those clips the rails are attached. The worse the alignment of the hoistway the more adjustment is needed. And the longer and more effort it takes to get the rails set right. If the hoistway is out of plumb or worse yet twisted even slightly, additional strain can be created on the rails and then on the clips. That can force the mechanism to be pulled loose as the elevator is used over time.
With a modular elevator the shaft is so plumb and level that the clips are not simply attached, but spot welded onto the frame of the hoistway and then bolted. They are adjustable, but aren’t going anywhere and there is no need for them to move. They can be welded because the hoistway is perfect every time. That means that modular (as usual) outperforms traditional.
First, to understand how perfection is possible it maybe helpful to know why traditional elevator hoistways are so often out of whack.
With the old way of putting in an elevator (and we have all seen this on a construction site) the elevator hoistway is one of the very first things that goes up. If it is cold, wet or snowy the elevator hoistway can heave and shift. One builder in Canada got tired of seeing shafts having to be redone because of heaving and the expense of hoarding heat while the hoistway cured. So he wisely opted for modular.
The opposite is true as well. If the temperatures are over 100 degrees special care and extra-effort must be made to keep the mortar hydrated with block construction. Failure to do so can “affect normal strength development of mortar, leading to a reduction in strength.” – cement.org. That’s a scary thought.
Extreme heat and cold say nothing about the poor folks laying all that block or pouring cement. They work in any number of foul weather conditions. And as we all know in less than optimal weather, work quality can diminish. In addition when it comes to the traditional hoistways work is done at heights on scaffolding. The human element cannot be ignored.
The hoistway tends to shift, twist or lean ever so slightly.
With a modular elevator or modular shaft or hoistway weather is never a problem. The entire hoistway is built inside a factory. The hoistways are made of tough construction-grade steel, laid out on jigs and are then welded together. There is no working at heights as the shaft is simply rotated as needed.
They are laid out horizontally in fifty foot sections or shorter depending on the project. If a hoistway over 50′ is needed the sections are laid out together to insure they are plumb and straight. Connecting plates are added at the joints for perfect fit every time.
Next metal c-studs and additional bracing is attached followed by the exterior sheathing. Usually a mold resistant drywall is used for either one or two hours of fire protection. The hatches get elevator doors next, then the rails go in. They are then aligned and welded to the interior and then the interior walls are finished out.
Perfection.
This perfect hoistway makes a solid, stable, plumb and level backbone for the elevator system. It ensures a great elevator every time. You will never get that promise from any GC or elevator company regarding the hoistway they build on-site. If this process intrigues you in the least and you have a project in mind just click the button. We can send you a quote in 24 hours. Or contact us at MEM where we produce elevators taking you to a higher level.
At Modular Elevator Manufacturing we want to thank you on this Thanksgiving Day!
This has been a tough year in a number of ways, however we have continued to grow and expand. We realize that our growth comes from a dedicated team of professionals that manufacture, install and sell our elevators. Thank you to all the employees!
But, just as importantly we want to take this time of Thanksgiving and show our appreciation and heart felt thanks to our loyal partners.
We give thanks that together we make MEM a wonderful solution and a wonderful company.
Thank you!
We at Modular Elevator Manufacturing salute all those that have served our nation. We know that our freedom comes at a price, paid by the men and women of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Many never return. We remember and honor all Veterans on this special day.
Thank you!
MEM Parking Garage Solution – Do you prefer aspirin? Tylenol? Advil? A caustic combination of all three? Imagine if you could avoid your headache as an architect or general contractor by not having to worry about the elevator in your project. That solution to your headache is available. And that solution can mean less materials, more parking space and fewer trades to coordinate. Imagine the stress and pressure relief when the elevator unit arrives when you want, fully installed! It is set in a total of four hours and totally off the critical path. It is not a dream.
Placed in hours you can have a Modular Elevator Manufacturing high-quality commercial elevator delivered to your site. All that is left for you to do is the exterior of the hoistway in any construction material you want. See the project below. It is a five-stop parking garage elevator, delivered complete. The durable commercial quality stainless-steel elevator car, was already inside. All the wiring – done, and doors, rails and even the pit ladder precision placed in the factory and it took less than four hours to set.
And this particular elevator came in two sections due to the total travel height. A crane placed the first section. The second followed right behind, easily bolted on top. They match perfectly as the manufacturing process assures the two sections will line up exactly right every time.
The hoistway is perfect, made with steel in a factory. There is no bowing, heaving or contracting like hoistways constructed of block or concrete. It also means that the rails are perfectly aligned. That produces the smooth quality ride you and your customers deserve.
MEM has the perfect solution for your parking garage project. That is especially true if you have designs or plans for several parking garages. Just spec us in and save time and money. Similarly, we can provide elevators for the entire project with solutions for any low or mid-rise application. So before another trip to the medicine cabinet, we’ve got you covered, whether the elevator is placed on the interior or exterior of any building, new or retrofit construction.
We have placed over 400 elevators and have over 20 years experience in making elevators as easy as one, two, three.
Finally, for your parking garage solution and a Fast Track budget number just click the button below. You will learn how MEM is the best elevator for any low or mid-rise project. Quality elevators taking you to a higher level.