Apples and Oranges Comparing Elevator Solutions – Modular Versus Traditional. In the construction industry there is a great desire to save time and money while simultaneously providing a high-quality, finished product for the client. This task is complicated immensely when multi-story projects are slated and an elevator is involved. It seems that no one in the elevator business wants to make it easy for general contractors, architects, project managers or building owners to make a clear decision about what elevator company or vertical transportation option would be the best solution.
To combat this problem specs have been developed over time for various elevator footprints, capacities and travel, based on the needs or use of the building. But this does not work! Being in the elevator business, I can tell you most of the time specs are routinely ignored by large elevator companies. At least until after the pricing has been submitted and the decision has been made.
The usual process involves the salesperson picking the closest standard product and then filling the proposal with “if, ands and wherefores” that will be addressed at a later date once a choice is made. Only then the specs are examined and leverage is brought to bear to force time sensitive decisions about the product selected.
This all too familiar dance is the reason the elevator industry is so despised in many quarters. One might draw the conclusion that the elevator industry does not want an apples to apples comparison to be made. Preferring, instead, to keep customers in the dark.
At MEM, we do not shy away from an accurate comparison and we will even help with your assessment, whether we are right for your project or not. Another option is to find a reputable elevator consultant that can help with the decision making process.
However, keep reading if you need a broad overview to help you in your assessment and decision making process.
Generally speaking when it comes to quality commercial elevators there are two very broad categories of solutions. Traditional elevators where the hoistway is built on-site and then the various components are pieced together inside once power is on or available. And modular elevators where the whole elevator is produced in a factory setting.
The first thing to know about either category of elevator is that the components are all very similar. After all, if comparing the types of elevators is the goal, there has to be a clear understanding of the quality of the components that make up the elevator.
Believe it or not most elevators contain, relatively, the same components. There are only a handful of companies that actually manufacture all the stuff inside a hoistway. Secondly, elevator components are highly regulated. The bottom line is that elevator to elevator most of the parts (regardless of name plate) are either the exact same or they meet the exact same standards.
Keep that in mind when a sales rep from a traditional elevator company starts talking about components. There is nothing magical or special about them.
The bigger question regarding parts and components is if they are proprietary or not. Avoid elevators with proprietary parts at all costs. Proprietary means that the elevator manufacturer has control over the functioning of the elevator through access to parts and tools. Service is restricted to just that company. This may mean a lower priced elevator up front, but over time you will be at their mercy. Never get an elevator with proprietary parts or for that matter, buy a building with an elevator with proprietary parts inside. You will regret it.
So if parts are not really different, what is the difference between conventional and modular? It is all about the packaging. The traditional elevator comes in crates or on skids and is assembled on-site once the power is turned on. So when you choose a conventional elevator, you really aren’t buying an elevator at all. You are buying boxes of elevator parts that are hammered, screwed and bolted together on-site in a cramped hoistway.
Think of the last car you purchased. Imagine if the dealership dropped off crates filled with parts, boxes full of hardware and most of the necessary tools to assemble your car in your driveway. Then the dealership sent over a couple of technicians to assemble the whole mess. You would see this as you look out of your window on to the now worksite and would think, “surely this would be easier in the factory!”
Thank goodness, that is not how the automotive industry works. They deliver a fully functioning, turnkey product that was assembled efficiently and safely in their quality (and climate) controlled facility.
Elevator companies for years have told the little white lie that they are manufacturing elevators. Not true! What they really do is manufacture some elevator parts and buy the rest of the components from different companies. They then ship them all in boxes to hopefully be assembled properly on-site. Good luck.
The major difference between conventional and modular is with modular you are buying an elevator…not boxes of stuff. Modular is manufactured as a finished product in a quality (and climate) controlled environment, not bolted together in a dark shaft at a technicians leisure. It is difficult to quantify, but if you ever rode in an elevator that rattled as it went up…it was more than likely haphazardly assembled in a cramped elevator hoistway and not in a factory.
Also, because modular elevators are engineered to be free standing, you get to decide when it arrives and when it is set in place. There are no elevator contractors taking over your site, no storage problems, no additional trades tripping over each other and the timeline becomes your’s not an elevator installer’s.
So when comparing traditional and modular remember the following:
By looking at the short list above it is an easy call to make. The overall better choice for any low or mid-rise building project is the unconventional modular elevator manufactured by MEM. This is especially true when the pricing is generally in the same ballpark, but even when the initial investment is higher for modular the scale is still tipped in favor of the modular solution. The plumb and straight hoistway is always in the price of modular so there is that difference when comparing, but beyond that think of the shortened timeline that a modular elevator creates.
As an anecdotal example of the reasoning, while working with a building owner that decided to go modular for the first time in a hotel project, he thanked me for the extra million dollars he was going to make on the project due to the faster elevator placement. He felt the whole timeline was trimmed by six months by using a modular unit meaning faster occupancy. He went on and said that the million did not take into account the reduced general building costs of maintaining a job site over a longer period of time.
Even if initial cost of the modular elevator were higher, the overall cost for the whole project would always be more than made up for. This is especially true in colder climates.
But thinking bigger, there is a huge value to the comfort level with knowing it is a high-quality product due to the tight manufacturing standards and easily inspected process. For instance:
To be clear, there are sometimes when modular is not the solution. As and example they are shipped on the back of a truck. So even though we have produced freight elevators and elevators for medical facilities big enough for hospital beds, there are some special circumstances where we can’t get under a bridge.
Another example is overall tower height. When you get over ten to twelve stories, cost wise conventional is usually the better option, but on balance for most building projects the best solution is always modular and MEM is the place to start.
We are knowledgeable, experienced, helpful and ready to discuss elevators…not sell them. Honestly, they sell themselves our goal is just to educate the construction industry that there is a better alternative when comparing apples to apples or modular versus traditional.
If this blog post has intrigued you at all the process starts with clicking the button below. You will be asked a few general questions and then we will contact you so we can provide a thumbnail price for your next project.
Depending on the application an elevator cab may need to be extremely durable in the way it is made. It may also need to be outfitted with fixtures and a design that will impede or reduce possibilities of vandalism. Lastly, surveillance of the elevator cab is often a necessity as a warning against inappropriate behavior and as a way to visually see what is going down while the elevator is going up. MEM has a solution for all three circumstances.
First, regarding durability MEM cabs are made of strong 14g Galvaneal walls and the platform is 12g. Galvaneal is the preferred material for professional construction and commercial quality elevators for good reason. Its strength to weight ratio is vastly better than other materials including particle board. You may not think that the material used for the cab matters much because they can appear to be the same…until you have a mold problem or a broken pipe that leads to a waterfall into the elevator hoistway. One real life example of how going cheap on the cab can hurt your building project was demonstrated when a construction worker left the elevator door open and exposed one night on a competitor’s cheap wood core model and it rained.
The simple accident led to delays and hundreds of dollar of repairs. Even the interior panels swelled and warped beyond use. This is because particle board (no matter what acronym they use to describe it) is a wood substitute made from sawdust or wood chips and glue. When particleboard gets wet, it can swell or even disintegrate. That is not what you want to hear about your elevator cab.
Also, if sustainable construction is your goal, steel is a much better alternative. During the construction of your cab if particle board is used there is scrap and lots of it. That scrap contains certain chemicals that can be hazardous if not handled properly. This makes recycling difficult and some jurisdiction do not accept it at all as a recyclable material because it can contaminate other wood products. The problem is the use of urea formaldehyde in the glue, a primary component of particle board. It is a toxic substance that can be released during sanding or cutting. Good to know if you have to replace sections that get wet in your cab. Formaldehyde can cause eye and lung irritation, so respirators and safety goggles are required equipment when cutting or sanding.
If a particle board cab is the offer from another company, lookout! It may not be a true commercial-quality product. This warning is especially true in humid areas of the country or when the product is not in a climate controlled situation.
Second, MEM elevators can be equipped with fixtures and buttons that are tough, but still meet all required standards. They can also be produced with an interior finish that reduces the impact of vandalism. Elevator buttons get a lot of abuse, but some high-traffic areas get more than others. Parking garages, some schools and apartment complexes and more remote locations often face an onslaught of abuse. So, depending on your needs and location we can provide solutions to help.
This does not mean that the fixtures are not stylish or don’t meet the design requirements for any job you have in mind. They can be in square or round buttons in the cab or hall call and be in a multitude of colors and finishes.
Depending on traffic and use, diamond plate flooring may be needed and a random grind pattern design will help hide minor scratches and make cleaning up vandalism easier and faster. It is important to remember that vandalism is excluded in elevator maintenance contracts, so a little prevention can go a long way to reducing operating costs.
Lastly, We are not a security camera company, however we work with them all of the time. That means MEM elevators can be produced in the factory that can accommodate video surveillance equipment and systems. This helps you avoid the cost and headache of additional construction surrounding surveillance equipment. Cameras are a deterrent according to a leading elevator publication, Elevator World so if vandalism is a concern, it would be a good idea to work with an elevator company that has experience in security, integrity and a factory setting to help accommodate placement.
Ultimately this all means that MEM can meet your needs for true, high-quality elevators designed well with your needs in mind and fantastic looking elevator interiors that are extremely durable and will help deter vandalism. If you have a parking garage project or elevator in a high traffic area that may need a tough alternative just click the button below and let us walk you through our process and get you started today. You will soon see why MEM is the best elevator for any job between two and seven stories. Quality elevators taking you to a higher level.
Parking Structures – Modular Elevators Meet Demand – Getting ahead of the curve is important in any construction development or building project. Depending on the particular area and whether you are talking about urban or suburban parking, current trends are moving toward slowing the creation of new parking spaces overall.
Some developers, seeing the possibility of lessening demand, have engineered the possibility of future alternative uses into their parking garage design. Incorporating elements like increased headroom and eliminating the slopped floors, in an effort to create a “flexible use” structure.
They attribute the burgeoning drift to many factors. It is anticipated that the Millennial generation’s reduced desire to own personal vehicles, expanding ride sharing opportunities, increasing focus on public transportation and the promise of self-driving cars will reduce the need for the overall amount of dedicated parking space.
With the current climate, are we on the cusp of urgently needing more parking despite the apparent trends listed above?
With the current outbreak of Covid-19 and its ability to be transmitted in many urban settings and dealing with abuse of public transit by the homeless population, some are re-examining personal transportation as a growing alternative. Public transportation being a germ factory is not new despite this particular strain of the Corona Virus. In the 2008/2009 flu season in London a study was conducted by BMC Infectious Diseases seeking to answer the question, “Is public transport a risk factor for acute respiratory infection?” The answer from the report is, “Recent bus or tram use within five days of symptom onset was associated with an almost six-fold increased risk of consulting for acute respiratory infections.” In a nutshell public transportation seems to increase transmission of viruses.
Really? They needed a study for that? So if reduced public transportation occurs the need for efficient, fast, multi-level parking development in both the urban and suburban areas is or will shortly be needed. Personal car use may rise and parking needs increase.
Keep in mind that with parking, it is not about the overall spaces. It is about where the spaces are. We have plenty of parking spaces in the United States. About 500 million parking spaces (an estimated 3,590 square miles) serve this nation of nearly 326 million people, according to Andy Cohen, co-chief executive of the architecture firm Gensler. He predicts car ownership will peak around 2020 and then start to decline, with more Americans relying on some form of ride-sharing rather than owning their own vehicles by the year 2025.
That was before the Corona Virus stole headlines and people’s lives. Before comfort levels with ride sharing and public transportation began changing. Ride sharing, when analyzing the data, may not be the panacea some had predicted to alleviate long-term parking woes.
Just prior to the virus’ big splashy headlines and justified concerns Bruce Schaller, New York City transportation consultant, saw parking trends differently from others by examining actual car ownership. In his report The New Automobility he concluded that ride sharing has had the opposite effect intended and promised by many. He said, “vehicle ownership has increased in cities where Uber and Lyft are most heavily used…Moreover, the rate of vehicle growth substantially exceeded population growth in five of the eight cities (Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Chicago).”
Then we get to the virus and it is not just paranoia. Consumer Reports as of May 8th, 2020 acknowledges problems with public transportation, ride sharing and taxi cabs regarding possible transmission. The list of suggested ways to avoid the virus when traveling includes renting a car and then cleaning it yourself, always wearing a mask when driving or riding, requesting only vehicles with glass separating the passengers from drivers or even just packing sneakers and walking. Not very practical. Besides, how do you clean your rented car before driving it?
So with car ownership on the rise despite other alternatives, and virus fears in the forefront of people’s minds, it seems that the need for multi-level parking will not stay flat or decrease but only increase in years to come. Not the predicted result many futurists had hoped for. Now to be clear there is nothing wrong with designing parking space that can be more easily repurposed or adapted in the future. That makes perfect sense especially when considering self-driving cars that can park themselves inches apart requiring less space. Although not a reality today, it may be within the life span of a building project. Forward thinking is important.
However, there will be a new normal when it comes to transportation and thereby parking space. The solution will eventually evolve, but parking will not diminish in the near future. One thing is for sure, the data reveals that car ownership is not subsiding due to ride sharing options and with “social distancing” becoming a standard phrase in our lexicon the mentality of individual travel or traveling as a family unit may become more of the norm, not less as anticipated. You may need more parking solutions faster.
So why is the modular elevator part of the parking solution for projects today and the possible increased projects soon to come? Because they are high-quality, commercial elevators that are durable and have elements specifically designed for parking structures. They also have pre-engineered drawings that can be inserted into plans, manufactured and trucked to the job site and installed.
Modular Elevator Manufacturing removes elevators from the critical path and reduces the headaches of coordination between trades. They are a solution for any low or mid-rise parking structure. If you have a current project for a parking structure or any other building between two and seven stories just click the button below to get a Fast Track budget number.
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 – 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!
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, tlshield.com.
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.
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.
