Best Argument for a Modular Elevator – I am very lonely in my job as a marketing professional in the world of modular elevators, because at last count, I am it. If there is a new one out there, welcome to the revolution. But, for now its just me.
The reason I bring that up is single handedly I have written hundreds of articles supporting the modular elevator industry and I am on the constant look for two things. First, a new perspective or way to spark interest, hone my argument or new way to discuss the modular elevator industry. Second, help. This comes in the form of any supporting information, blogs, studies, whitepapers or reports. I scour the internet and other resources constantly and as a result, with the help of one of our team members, ran across a great new article. It was surprising help from an unlikely source.
A LinkedIn contributor that goes by Dr. Michael Simmons, DBA wrote a very concise and clear, step-by-step description of what a typical hydraulic elevator installation looks like. This is not a modular installation mind you, but a traditional run-of the-mill elevator install. The article is entitled How Do They Do It? Hydraulic Elevator Edition and I encourage you to take a look at it. It is 1000 words of exactly all the steps that have to take place to install an elevator with the traditional installation method.
So why did I find the Best Argument for a Modular Elevator in an article about a regular elevator installation? Because it proves beyond any shadow of doubt, in simple and clear terms, the lunacy of traditionally installing an elevator. The antiquated process comes with a myriad of problems and challenges that frustrates the building owner or build team. Below are just some challenges taken from the article.
These are just a few of the potential injury risks, ways the project can be delayed, inefficiencies that come with the the process and challenges regarding quality. Modular elevators are completely different.
With an MEM Elevator System the commercial quality elevator is manufactured in a factory with quality controls and constant inspection. First, the hoistway is built with jigs and precise templates to assure it is always plumb and level. Once the hoistway is finished and wrapped in drywall for fire protection according to code, doors and entrances are factory installed.
Meanwhile the elevator sling and cab are being built in a separate location in the factory. High quality Galvanneal steel is used for the cab walls to ensure durability and longevity. During assembly our build team can freely walk around the cab as it is being built and precise jigs are used to ensure a perfect fit in the hoistway everytime.
The wiring is complete in the factory as well.
The last step is to insert the cab into the the hoistway. Done.
The benefits are tremendous. The quality is higher, inspections can be completed throughout the process, it greener as there is less waste, and there is no interference with other trades or reliance on others to complete the elevator. When you need it, it is craned into place and that’s it. The process is so fast the elevator can be used as a construction lift saving even more time and money. You get the elevator when you need it not at the arbitrary timing of an elevator company.
If you took the time to read the article that gave me significant help and inspired my post, think about it. All of the headlines in the article contain the various steps of a traditional install. With modular elevators they can all be skipped! No headache for you as you can simple draw a line through elevator on your to do list. We take care of everything making it the easiest way to have an elevator in your building. The only step we need is adjustment and inspection once power is on. That’s it. You get to skip to the end.
This means that the elevator is off the critical path and not getting in the way of all the other trades on site. Also, crews won’t waste even a second waiting to finish around entrances. That work can be done in sequence. Lastly, this means you save time, money and countless headaches. It is the best argument ever for a modular elevator.
As you can see, the modular concept for elevators is revolutionary, but this concept is not new. We have been at it for a long time and have hundreds of elevators installed nationally. Also, we are pioneers in the elevator industry seeing a need and creating a great solution. The old elevator industry needed improving in safety, quality and fast start up and we did it. Something that would takes weeks with traditional installation now takes a few hours. Its time to join the Revolution.
Click the button below to get a Fast Track Quote or if you want to explore a bit more request a live virtual tour. We will pull back the curtain and show you how we produce the MEM Elevator System.
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.
National Distribution Network Means Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) Growth. In the past year due to our growing distribution network our high-quality modular elevators have been placed from California to New York. Now we welcome Georgia Lift Solutions to the MEM Authorized Elevator Contractor team.
Our friends Kyle Floyd and Dillon Graham from Georgia Lift Solutions have now partnered with us as an Authorized Elevator Contractor (AEC). Both came to our headquarters and factory for orientation, training, and instruction on the MEM Elevator Solution. They see the benefits of going modular and are looking forward to engaging with us as they grow their organization. This will further increase demand for the MEM solution and we are ready to meet that demand with even more AECs nationwide.
The elevator industry revolution continues through our network of elevator installers because the MEM Elevator Solution is perfect for schools, commercial space, hospitality, medical facilities, multi-family units or parking structures. So regardless of the vertical market, MEM can provide a solution from the east coast to the west coast. Modular elevators are also perfect for any type of building project from modular to stick frame and can go on the interior or exterior of any project.
That flexibility expands the types of projects that our AECs can participate in and promotes an ever-expanding market.
MEM President – Tom Shield is glad to welcome Kyle and Dillon and are proud of growing the network of partners. “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 installed through AECs nationwide. We have a great team of installers that know elevators inside out and we welcome Kyle and Dillon to that team.”
He went on to say, “It is our philosophy that good business is quality business. Georgia Lift Solutions brings the same desire for quality to the table.”
The AEC program will continue to grow and will provide even more opportunities. Shield said, “We are currently looking for more elevator businesses to be a part of the program so now is the time for exploration and inquiries. We provide the training, information, marketing partnerships, and support. So we both help each other as we grow. It is an exciting time for our industry.”
The modular concept for elevators is revolutionary. MEM is a pioneers in that industry that saw the need for safety, quality and fast set and start up. To summarize the difference between modular and stick-built…there are none other than the delivery method.
Modular elevators are a factory built hoistway with tough 4X4 inch HHS (Hollow Structural Steel), wrapped in mold resistant drywall. This is done to the customer’s specification. Then all the elevator components are factory installed. 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 for the customer. For the installer it means all the heavy lifting is already done and the time commitment for a project is minimal.
Something that would take weeks conventionally can now be done in days with the MEM solution.
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. You can also
Best Mid Rise Elevator Option. Having definitions is real important when talking about elevators and especially when you are gauging whether a modular elevator could meet your needs. With that said, conversations regarding what constitutes a low or mid-rise elevator inclutwo dynamics. First, is number of stops. The second is total travel distance.
When looking at the vast number of elevators out there, when you say two or three stops, you know what you are talking about. A short ride of ten to twenty feet or low rise. And yes all elevators have at least two stops. An old joke in the elevator industry is if you have just one stop in an elevator you have an expensive broom closet. Every elevator has at a minimum 2 stops. So all low rise elevators are two to three stops? Right?
Not so fast. The middle elevator pictured above has just two stops. But as you can see it is a longer ride than you would picture. It is nearly 80 feet of travel. So number of stops is not the best measure to determine if an elevator is a low or mid rise. As a matter of fact are express elevators in high rises that travel hundreds of feet with just two or three stops.
As you can see in the diagram to the left total travel distance is the distance from the lowest finished floor to the highest finished floor. It makes no difference when making this measurement how many stops there are. This is a much better way to identify if an elevator is a low or mid rise elevator.
When defining low or mid rise for the modular elevator industry it can usually be safe to say that somewhere around eighty to one-hundred feet is the cutoff for a mid rise elevator. Anything taller than that and modular is not a serious contender.
It is no wonder that people are trying to shoehorn a modular into their project as there are a myriad of benefits. First and foremost they are the high quality solution. The elevator arrive to the jobsite as a fully factory installed elevator in a prefabricated hoistway. You get all the benefits of manufacturing precision delivered when you need it. MEM is a high quality product.
With Modular Elevator Manufacturing you always get quality regardless of the type of structure and the amount of use. MEM elevators can be placed inside or outside any type of structure. Even high traffic areas are easy for MEM. The quality is built in from the 4×4 inch tube steel to non-proprietary, industry approved and tested components. These are commercial passenger elevators.
MEM elevators are faster, safer, greener and more cost effective. They install quickly. That will allow you to control the elevator part of your building project. It also takes the elevator off the critical path. For all the above reasons, MEM is the best mid rise and low rise elevator on the market today.
If you want to know more about MEM schedule a live virtual tour or ask for a Fast Track Quote below.
MEM Honored With Awards of Distinction – The Modular Building Institute is the premier organization when it comes to modular construction. They are the voice for the industry so when they speak, it is important. At their annual World of Modular Conference and awards banquet they spoke loudly when the MEM Elevator System took home two accolades. For the first time in the 40 year history of the organization, a modular elevator company walked away with trophies in two different categories.
The nominees that won where on two vastly different modular projects and demonstrates the flexibility of our modular elevator.
The first project is actually two unique types of facilities in one at the UCLA Olive View Medical Center. The Restorative Care Village and the Recuperative Care Center for short-term residential care. The architects made sure that the entire modular project including the elevators were welcoming, yet secure and safe. This was a 6 elevator and 6 machine room build for Modular Elevator Manufacturing. Five of the units were placed on the exterior walls of the project. The sixth was designed to fit in the middle of the building and be surrounded by modules.
With six elevators going into a building project in a short time there are always challenges. The modular elevators in this case did not interrupt the compressed building schedule by improving manufacturing processes and timing in house. This allowed for the elevator units to be ready for the set as needed by the delivery schedule and the construction crew onsite. This meant that there was no additional congestion during the build or slowdown in setting units. In most builds with multiple elevators the installation process slows and interrupts other trades onsite.
It is always difficult to quantify savings, however Clay Hubble – Project Superintendent for Abbott Construction put a fine point on the savings. He indicated that, “The MEM elevator allowed us to move up the whole process. Everyone can be pushed forward in sequence. Normally the elevator slows everything down. You have framers, rock and tape crews, floor prep, flooring, painters, electricians, sprinklers. They usually come out and work to the elevator openings on each floor. Then they have to stop.
With the fully installed modular elevator, all those crews complete their work in sequence. They make one trip out and no call back because the elevator’s openings came finished with door frames already installed. The results, we estimate that saved us $30,000 to $40,000 per opening.”
He went on the say, “You have a similar savings on the exterior. Framers, coping metal, parapet work was all done in sequence with no call backs. With 12 openings the savings were tremendous.”
MEM was awarded the runner-up trophy for the Award of Distinction.
The second Award of Distinction and First Place winner was Pop Up Park a part of Five Point – Irvine Great Park. It demonstrated architectural excellence in the way the modular elevator was seamlessly integrated into an outdoors space in a pre-purposed storage container project with beauty and elegance.
It incorporates a glass hoistway to give an open feel and less obstructed view of the surrounding 1500-acre park, soccer fields and dining area. A second-floor open walkway to the elevator is utilized making it separate from the overall structure. This important architectural detail gives a more open feel and free traffic flow. As a result of the architectural design the modular elevator was created and engineered to be a fully self-supporting structure in a high earthquake zone. In the Modern/Industrial style, the structure and awning were finished in the factory to be matte black, matching the surrounding railings and overall structure and theme. This project makes the outside a comfortable inside space.
The entire project is designed to be innovative and sustainable with use of used cargo containers creating an oasis in the vast park. The modular elevator is no exception. It is made of recyclable materials including a steel hoistway. All components are sized to reduce waste and increase efficiency.
Also, organic hydraulic fluid is used in the conveyance system. It is safe for the environment even in the unlikely event an above ground jack leaks or fails. Another innovation is a detachable, recyclable awning system that can be easily replaced as needed. This extends the life span as an outside elevator, due to weather exposure, rarely last longer than the interior parts. Lastly, the MEM elevator reduced weeks of technicians coming and going from the jobsite while the hoistway and elevator components are being built or installed. This modular elevator installed in four hours and was ready for inspection in four days.
We all love to win and it was a lot of fun to be called up in front of industry peers. But the recognition means more than just the trophies. It means we are doing things right and our team can get confirmation of their abilities and work product to continue to lead the elevator revolution that we started 20 years ago. It also was a time to reflect on our relationship with the modular industry. Although our system can be placed in modular projects, it is flexible enough to be incorporated in any building. But our roots are in modular! We will continue to build our ties to that industry especially through the Modular Building Institute and the annual World of Modular convention. See you all in Orlando next year.
MEM Awards of Excellence – This year we have two projects placed in competition. They are very different, but truly showcase how our Modular Elevator System can be used.
The first project is actually two unique types of facilities in one at the UCLA Olive View Medical Center. The Restorative Care Village features several buildings and services that provide enhanced mental health services & support. The second a Recuperative Care Center for short-term residential care. As a result, the architects made sure that the entire project including the elevators were welcoming, yet secure and safe. This was a 6 elevator/12 modular unit build for Modular Elevator Manufacturing with 6 fully functioning modular elevators delivered and an equal amount of machine rooms. Five of the units were placed on the exterior walls of the modular project. The sixth was designed to fit in the middle of the building and be surrounded by modules. As this was a modular building project in totality the architecture was uniquely adjusted to allow placement of the elevator units.
With six elevators going into a building project in a short time there are always challenges. The modular elevators in this case did not interrupt the compressed building schedule by improving manufacturing processes and timing in house. This allowed for the elevator units to be ready for the set as needed by the delivery schedule and the construction crew onsite. This meant that there was no additional congestion during the build or slowdown in setting units. In most builds with multiple elevators the installation process slows and interrupts other trades onsite.
It is always difficult to quantify savings, however Clay Hubble – Project Superintendent for Abbott Construction put a fine point on the savings. He indicated that, “The MEM elevator allowed us to move up the whole process. Everyone can be pushed forward in sequence. Normally the elevator slows everything down. You have framers, rock and tape crews, floor prep, flooring, painters, electricians, sprinklers. They usually come out and work to the elevator openings on each floor. Then they have to stop.
With the fully installed modular elevator, all those crews complete their work in sequence. They make one trip out and no call back because the elevator’s openings came finished with door frames already installed. The results, we estimate that saved us $30,000 to $40,000 per opening.”
He went on the say, “You have a similar savings on the exterior. Framers, coping metal, parapet work was all done in sequence with no call backs. With 12 openings the savings were tremendous.”
The second MEM Awards of Excellence entry is Pop Up Park a part of Five Point – Irvine Great Park. Architectural excellence is exhibited in the way the modular elevator was seamlessly integrated into an outdoors space in a pre-purposed storage container project with beauty and elegance.
It incorporates a glass hoistway to give an open feel and less obstructed view of the surrounding 1500-acre park, soccer fields and dining area. A second-floor open walkway to the elevator is utilized making it separate from the overall structure. This important architectural detail gives a more open feel and free traffic flow. As a result of the architectural design the modular elevator was created and engineered to be a fully self-supporting structure in a high earthquake zone. In the Modern/Industrial style, the structure and awning were finished in the factory to be matte black, matching the surrounding railings and overall structure and theme. This project makes the outside a comfortable inside space.
The entire project is designed to be innovative and sustainable with use of used cargo containers creating an oasis in the vast park. The modular elevator is no exception. It is made of recyclable materials including a steel hoistway. All components are sized to reduce waste and increase efficiency.
Also, organic hydraulic fluid is used in the conveyance system. It is safe for the environment even in the unlikely event an above ground jack leaks or fails. Another innovation is a detachable, recyclable awning system that can be easily replaced as needed. This extends the life span as an outside elevator, due to weather exposure, rarely last longer than the interior parts. Lastly, the MEM elevator reduced weeks of technicians coming and going from the jobsite while the hoistway and elevator components are being built or installed. This modular elevator installed in four hours and was ready for inspection in four days.
Lastly, we hope to see you at World of Modular, but just in case you can’t make it, click the button below for a FAST TRACK QUOTE. If you want to explore more just sign up for a LIVE VIRTUAL TOUR of our facility. We are open and willing answer questions and have discussions on viability for your project.
A Childlike View – Modular Elevator / Usually the posts on this blog are fact based, analytical, driven to find solutions to problems and serious. But that is not real life. I was reminded of this over the past weekend when I had the pleasure of hosting my granddaughter for a Saturday afternoon. She is just three years old and to her everything is new, a wonder, an exploration and excitement. I came to the conclusion that we all need more of that in our lives even at work. Somehow as we have matured, joy in discovery and wonder has slipped from our grasp. We replace those things with a healthy dose of skepticism, cynicism, and entrenchment. Sadly the innovation around us becomes stale, opportunities dim and adventure is cut out of the equation.
I hope that this short post wakes us from our slumber a bit and shakes us into seeing the possibilities and excitement of new opportunities. Hopefully, it will make some parallels regarding seeing the world a little less pessimistically, being open to new experiences and giving modular elevators a try. However, that is not the real purpose of the lessons learned. It is more about philosophy of life and why we need to embrace the happiness of adventure and the joy of wonder through a child’s eyes. Besides I get to post a couple photos of the cutest granddaughter in the world.
Let’s not go too overboard on the comparison. However, think about risk, thrill, wonder and trust. We can all find those things in our lives. But when was the last time you experienced it at work. Far too often we get real comfortable between the hours of 9 to 5. We reject the new for traditional, see only downside to risk, and lose wonder and trust.
Suddenly we find ourselves trapped in patterns endlessly. Yet we wonder where all the excitement went compared to when we first got started in our careers. It is often said that, if you always do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten. So, how’s that going for you? Especially regarding elevators.
So, if you will allow me permission to offer a bit of advice.
Life is far too short to continually do the same thing day in and day out. Muddling by is not how we are wired for a full life. We strive for comfort in repetition, yet it becomes the snare we have trouble extricating ourselves from.
So stretch your legs. Take a chance. Walk to the edge. You never know, you may find joy in the view.
Thanks for taking the time to read this over. I hope you take some of it to heart where it applies. I certainly will.
Now about elevators. Just because you see the risks of modular, don’t think that we don’t do the calculations, the cost estimates, the engineering and planning. Everything is ready and the whole package is prepared. We make placing a fully installed elevator extremely easy and enjoyable. Now it is up to you to take the chance and discover more.
I do feel compelled to at least mention modular elevators and the MEM Elevator System. It is the best solution for any low or midrise application. They are commercial quality and literally get installed in just a few hours.
If you would like more information or have a project in mind and would like general pricing just click the FAST TRACK button below. If you are interested, but want to learn more, click the button below for a LIVE VIRTUAL TOUR. We would be glad to solve your vertical transportation woes.
Top Projects 2022 Review – 2022 was again a record breaking year for Modular Elevator Manufacturing. The Elevator Revolution is taking hold nationwide and we have several projects completed in 2022 that standout.
So below is a review of MEM’s top projects in 2022. In the list two of the projects have been nominated for the highly prestigious Modular Building Institute’s annual Awards of Distinction and several others have been recognized for their innovation, jobsite time savings and cost savings. So without further ado here are our top projects in 2022.
The first is a nominee regarding the Awards of Distinction. It is a glass elevator that is contemporary in design for a concession area in a 1500 acre park. The designer of the project, Pop Up Park, had a vision and MEM was able to fulfill that vision and help create a beautiful space. The free-standing modular glass elevator was used due to the high seismic zone and was separated from the repurposed containers to give the additional feel of openness that a park application calls for.
The second project on our list of top projects 2022 is also a nominee for an industry award. It truly demonstrates what the Elevator Revolution is all about. For this application the Modular Elevator System was used in a large hospital setting for multiple elevators of similar capacity and design. With repeatable design, consistency in quality and speed to use it is the best solution for any low to midrise project.
As you can see in the gallery below we solved a major issue with the speed of the project by setting fully installed, multiple elevators in one day reducing costs significantly. How much? You would be shocked.
The housing crisis across the country is a national problem. Homelessness needs to be addressed quickly and with an eye towards savings without giving up quality. The MEM Elevator System came to the rescue in several affordable housing projects in 2022. Our most outstanding example was the Watts Works supportive housing project with Daylight Community Development.
Daylight is a leader in the affordable housing arena, blazing a new trail in building supportive housing faster and cheaper with maximum social impact. They were thrilled with what modular could do for the project by providing a quality elevator on time at a fair cost.
Schools remain a big part of what we do at Modular Elevator Manufacturing. Generally, in California if there is an elevator in a school, chances are it is the MEM Elevator System. We know the needs of a school district and how we can address those needs best.
When the Newhart Middle School started looking for an elevator MEM was the logical choice, but some thought that modular elevators could only be placed on the perimeter of the structure. This is an old canard and stems from the roots of the modular industry. But this outstanding project clearly shows the MEM System can go anywhere.
The last example of our top projects of 2022 speaks to the future and the importance of our flexibility. As the building industry changes and adopts alternative construction methods, how we produce our elevators matters. Our system creates a finished elevator inside a factory constructed hoistway. That allows us to stay relevant and continue to lead the elevator revolution. Because we are solutions based, it does not matter the type of construction. This demonstrates our innovation and willingness to think outside the box.
ISLA is a project made completely out of shipping containers with one exception… the MEM Elevator System. With container projects speed is of the essence, the order of the set is crucial and delays are not tolerable. MEM was more than up for the task and always is regardless of the project or challenge. We continue to demonstrate that on every project we are a part of.
These five Tops Projects in 2022 are just a few of the hundreds of projects we have in place. However, they demonstrate why we are considered the leader of the elevator revolution and modular elevator industry. In that revolution we place control of your project back in your hands. We cut the delays and dependency on the traditional elevator industry for you. You then have increased flexibility, quality and speed and that leads to faster occupancy. Our track record has been proven for over 20 years and can change the way you view vertical transportation for any low or midrise project.
So if you have questions or any interest in exploring further, contact us for a FAST TRACK QUOTE. If you want to explore more, we always encourage it. You can start your journey by taking a LIVE VIRTUAL TOUR. During the tour we will openly show you how we produce our high quality MEM Elevator System. We will also answer any of your questions.
Modular Elevator Innovation – There are a few inventions that become moments in history that change everything. The Wright brother’s first flight, Guttenberg’s printing press and Edison’s light bulb are at the top of the list. But one moment rarely considered is the time Elias Otis cut a rope on a suspended the elevator at the 1853 World’s Fair. On that fateful day when the cable was severed the elevator did not fall due to his unique braking system. The elevator became safe and the world was able to build up creating skyscrapers and a new city lifestyle beyond four-stories.
However, since that great leap ahead, the elevator has remained largely stagnant in how it is installed in a building.
Designers, architects and engineers have been trapped into placing a tower in the midst of the project and after nearly everything is finished, the project is turned over to the elevator mechanic. They come and go as they will and one piece at a time the elevator is built from scratch from crates of parts inside the hoistway.
That laborious, inefficient process is carried out anytime a multi-story project is built. This slows completion, wastes resources and can greatly expand the time that it takes to allow occupancy. But this building mess can be cleaned up through the use of a modular elevator. The modular elevator innovation changes everything.
This innovation is not new. After the passage of the Americans with Disability Act a group got together and thought through the conundrum of providing vertical transportation quickly at a cost that would allow more access. Their idea included building a steel hoistway that could be placed in hours with all of the elevator components already installed inside. The concept was perfect, but execution was lacking.
From an elevator installer’s perspective significant improvements could be made to reduce time, increase quality and diminishing inefficiencies even more. T.L Shield and Associates president, Tom Shield took up the challenge and the birth of the first true and practical modular elevator was developed. Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) was founded and mass factory production of the MEM Elevator System began. Tom Shield said about the process, “We never set out to create an elevator revolution, we just wanted to solve problems to vertical transportation for builders and installers. We feel we have accomplished that goal.”
“We never set out to create an elevator revolution, we just wanted to solve problems…”
Tom Shield – MEM President
As the market expanded additional innovation has been tested and accepted leading to the high-quality alternative to conventional elevators we have today. Shield said, “It has been a long road to market acceptance, but nationwide people are seeing the modular elevator as a solution to many of their problems and we continue to project significant growth.”
The stead increase in market share continues as architects, designers, project managers and building owners see the value in controlling their projects, cutting general construction costs and having occupancy faster than with old-fashioned traditional elevator installation.
As you can see Modular Elevator Innovation has led to an alternative that has been accepted and should be considered prior to any multilevel project. To reduce time, costs and headaches, we have a solution for your project woes regarding the elevator.
The modular elevator is not just a quick tip up for the outside of a building. It can be banked with other elevators and fitted with any design. Our commercial quality elevators can be used in retrofit or new construction just like traditional elevators, they just don’t come with the same baggage.
So if you would like to explore more, you can schedule a live virtual online tour and see first hand how we produce our modular elevators. You are also welcome to visit us in person as well. Just let us know when you are available.
Lastly, if you have a project in mind and would like to explore your total costs and benefits regarding our modular elevator complete a request for a Fast Track Quote. In about 24 hours, we will provide you with a thumbnail quote and get your project started. Just click one of the links below.
Modular Glass Elevator with Style – Modular gets associated with cookie cutter or boring design. It’s not the case at all, especially with modular glass elevators. In this case it makes the “Park” really “Pop”. It gives a great unobstructed of the 1500 acre park by utilizing a glass hoistway.
The free-standing modular glass elevator was used due to the high seismic zone and was separated from the repurposed containers to give the additional feel of openness that a park application calls for.
In the photos below you can see the finished product and how much style was placed into the design and how the modular elevator was able to be used in the overall Pop Up Park theme.
Modular Elevator Systems are indeed flexible. They can go into the project early, late, when you want or when you need it. It is off the critical path and can be placed inside or outside as you desire. Not to mention the cost and time savings the high-quality commercial elevator affords. So, is the MEM system the perfect fit for you? Yes. The MEM Modular Elevator System is the elevator you have been waiting for.
So if you have a low to mid-rise project, contact us for a FAST TRACK QUOTE. If you want to explore more, we encourage it. You can start your journey by taking a LIVE VIRTUAL TOUR. During the tour we will openly show you how we produce our high quality MEM Elevator System. We will also answer any of your questions.