A consumer products company needed to expand their office space and wanted to move operations and engineering teams closer to the manufacturing line. The company was growing but wanted to expand conservatively.
Project Overview
Application: Two-Story Inplant Office Building
Products: OmniFlex and Fire & Sound Panels; 4 x 3' Fixed Office Windows; Straight Run, Diamond Plate Stairs
Benefits Provided:
- Expanded usable office space without enlarging existing footprint
- Engineering and operations teams given direct access to plant operations
- Effectively used vertical square footage
The Challenge
Due to the uncertain economic situation in 2010, the prospect of buying new land, or adding to the current plant's footprint was risky. As a result, the company looked to retrofit current space within the plant.
The Solution
Since the manufacturing facility had extremely high ceilings to accommodate production equipment, building new space vertically appeared to be the most cost effective option. By creating a two story modular office, the company could double the square footage of the office space within the available area in the plant.
Modular building also offered the company flexibility because these types of structures can be re-purposed, added to or relocated easily as the needs of the company changes.
The company selected a modular office from PortaFab in order to expand the inplant offices. Using the OmniFlex system with Fire and Sound Panels, the company was able to maximize space within the plant by doubling the amount of office space compared to a one story building. The second story is accessed from an exterior straight run stair case that is made of slip-resistant diamond plate metal.
Windows were also added to the office area so that the operations and engineering departments would have a direct connection with the manufacturing and production areas at all times. The modular building also enabled the company to renovate the space without disrupting the production line, as systems are manufactured off-site and only assembled within the area.
