Easy cab construction makes quality MEM elevators possible. With old-fashioned traditional elevators, the cab is built like a ship in a bottle. In a dark, cramped hoistway one piece of the cab at a time is hand carried into the shaft. It is then assembled. This can lead to significant issues. Fit and cab quality suffer, not to mention all the on-site storage required and the increased possibility injuries. This old method makes very little sense.
The example photo below shows a better way. You can see four elevator cabs in the assembly process. There is plenty of light and plenty of room. We use jigs and templates to make sure that the fit is perfect and overhead cranes are used for any heavy parts. Also, our experienced and approved technicians and inspectors have access all the way around the cab. This means higher quality.
With the task of assembling the cab moved to the factory floor, your job-site remains clutter free of materials, tools and packaging associated with the elevator. Because of that, tripping hazards are removed making a your work area safer. And work is not held up in the site areas normally set aside for storage of all the crates of elevator parts and tools.
As you can see in the photo above whether you need one, a dozen or more low and mid-rise elevators, we can have the elevator cabs ready to be inserted in our factory. The elevators and hoistways can be mass produced for replicated design/build projects spaced months, or even years apart. Additionally, banked or duplexed elevators are a snap to deliver. We can also produce multiple elevators for larger projects. It is easy for us in the factory setting to complete the elevator or elevators you need and have them shipped for placement.
How do we make it so easy? The process begins with placing an order, approval of drawings and then factory production begins based upon when you want the elevator delivered. The elevator fits your time schedule. This is a big change from the old way elevator were built on-site where the elevator company controlled your process and timeline.
Once scheduled we simultaneously build the hoistway and the elevator cab on two separate tracks. At the end of the assembly process the cab is inserted. Then final wiring, inspection and testing is completed, it is shrink- wrapped and loaded on a flatbed truck for delivery. It really is that easy.
We have more experience than any other modular elevator producer manufacturing over 400 elevators and have dozens of years experience in the trades. Our elevators are as easy as one, two, three.
Finally, if our system seems to make more sense than the way elevators are currently installed, contact us for a Fast Track budget number by clicking the button below. You will learn how MEM is the best elevator for any low or mid-rise job. Quality elevators taking you to a higher level.
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.
Speedy Multifamily Elevator Solution. One of the ways that young Americans have influenced the construction industry is that lately they have been prone to delay home purchases. This can be attributed to many factors including high prices for home ownership, a lack of the needed down payment and a delay in marriage and family. So, when they do leave their parent’s basement, generally they are renting in large numbers and not looking for the white picket fence.
The result is in many medium and large municipalities there is a predictable shortage of rental units and ultimately price inflation. Hence the multifamily building boom.
Governing.com demonstrates this through statistical data. They report that between the year 2000 and April of 2019 there was, “a median increase in the renter population of 31 percent…Over the same period, the number of owner-occupied dwellings also rose, but only by a median of 7 percent.”
That means building multifamily units is needed and needed fast. That need is further demonstrated by the recent number of multifamily unit starts as the market moves to fill demand.
According to Dodge Data & Analytics residential starts as a category only increased by 2% in July of 2020. That sounds pretty bad for business until you dive more into the numbers. Of those new starts multifamily units increased by a whopping 11%, while single family units (homes) showed an overall decline. Multifamily units are booming even in a tough Covid filled economy.
The above statements and stats are known in the industry, so what is the big deal? The big deal is that in a competitive market, speed to that market becomes extremely important. You want to be building on the upswing and not at the top when units get tough to fill. So any edge you can find to decrease the time of project completion the better. That speed is crucial as the fight to fill the void in housing becomes a race. The race will either be won or lost by various builders and design build firms.
Keep in mind that the race now includes not just general apartment complexes or condominiums. They are also a wide range of market specific dwelling spaces. Subcategories such as senior living, low income or non-traditional mixed use building projects are on an upward trajectory.
One of the time saving mechanisms was addressed on a conference call I attended with design build industry leaders. We were discussing the concept and current acceptance of modular as the solution to the speed of delivery dilemma. A participant, Patrick Kennedy of Panoramic Interests downplayed the diversification of the market, and maintained the time to build could be significantly reduced if they stuck to three types of building plans that could easily fit burgeoning subcategories. He said they have three plans, “Hamburger, cheese burger and deluxe.”
Depending on who, why and where the units were to be built, the basic plans all fell into those three types of designs. Then depending on what specifically was requested, the spaces use could be altered, just not the overall plans. That kind of consolidation of offerings is very wise and makes perfect sense when building faster and more efficiently is a priority as it is today. Faster is better and they found a great way to speed things up. But that example is not the only edge available.
In car racing whether it is NASCAR, Formula 1 or a soapbox derby speed is important. But, it is the small things that are done, sometimes months before we hear, “Drivers start your engines!” that are key. To create the success and speed on the track a lot must happen, as a simple turn of a bolt on the chassis setup could be the difference between the checked flag and as Dale Earnhardt would say being the “first loser”.
So if finishing a building project quickly is important (and we all know that it is) then finding even small ways to speed up the building process is crucial. Using simplified plans, as discussed, is one way to achieve that speed. But so is placing in those plans a time saving modular elevator. One of the biggest complaints we hear about the elevator industry is that with traditional installation the whole project becomes bogged down. It is slow and laborious. But, what if all of that installation can take place in a factory, rain or shine and the elevator can be delivered and fully installed in a day or less, on the day of your choosing? That is a game changer.
Reality Check It is also a reality and not some fiction or dream of the future. So now it is time for a “reality check” in the form of a few questions:
So here’s the thing with the speedy multifamily elevator solution. If you are honest you can see the time and financial benefits of a quality, commercial modular elevator. And honestly chances are your competitors already have seen the benefits. We know this because as the multifamily market continues to heat up, we have doubled our sales and had to double our factory space and capacity to keep up.
If you would like to have a discussion just call us or email and ask anything you want. We will always be straightforward and honest as we have been in the modular elevator business longer than anyone else, with more experience and have a record of integrity and quality. We have installed five times more elevators than all of our competitors combined.
So, if you have project in mind just click the Fast Track button below. Just a few questions and we can have a thumbnail quote to you in a day. The opportunity is there for the checkered flag; take it with the help of Modular Elevator Manufacturing and a speedy multifamily elevator solution.
SEPT 23, 2020/Westlake, CA – Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) has added new staff to increase capacity and meet growing demand. As the modular elevator manufacturer continues to increase its market share nationwide, a new IT manager, national territory manager, two new elevator technician trainees and elevator technician helper have been added. In addition, a marketing firm with national experience was added to the team.
Duncan McEwan, IT Manager will work to centralize the IT support and system management, providing a more consistent user experience for customers and staff though the improved integration of the IT systems. He previously worked as an IT Administrator for the Television Academy providing support for all of their activities, most notably, the Creative Arts and Primetime Emmy Awards.
This involved supporting the online voting process and hosting IT and audio/visual needs for the various panels that convene each year to vote for categories of Emmy Awards. He also provided the network access, both WiFi and hard wired for the press core at the Emmys Awards, including the WiFi for the Red Carpet. At MEM his experience will improve the customer experience and information flow.
Ken Grider, National Territory Manager brings his commercial and residential construction experience and modular elevator knowledge as well as a proven ability to drive business growth and increase market awareness. More than that, Ken is creative and a strategic thinker with strong communication skills and a strong desire to help customers find the best solution to MEM.
Jesse Ochoa and Jose Perez have been added to increase the ranks of licensed elevator technicians as they complete their training and Jose Galvin has been added as an elevator technician helper. This will ensure that as the demand for modular elevators continues to increase, MEM will maintain the largest and most qualified staff in the modular industry.
Additionally, to assist with the new national effort a St. Louis, Missouri area marketing firm has been engaged. Speiro Communications will help direct the effort to increase an already growing market share. Providing true quality and the most experience in the industry will be the cornerstones going forward.
California based MEM produces elevators from simple ADA compliant models to freight elevators. They are routinely sold in several types of buildings including educational, hospitality, healthcare, multi-family, commercial, storage and parking structures. The elevators are used in retrofit projects as well as new construction. For more information on MEM go to at modualrelevator.com.
If you would like to put the MEM team to work, click the link below to receive a Fast Track quote.
Elevator at Sunrise. Pride can be a negative. It can blind you to reality as you puff yourself up. But, on the other hand it is uplifting to see the hard work by so many at Modular Elevator Manufacturing pictured this morning in all its glory. When this was taken…there was pride in the product, the concept, the design and those that provide the best possible option for all low and mid-rise application. Maybe corny, but true. Goosebumps you bet!
Thank you MEM team! Everyday you prove you are the best. Modular Elevator Manufacturing – quality elevators taking you to a higher level.
If you want your own elevator at sunrise experience and a cost and time saving picture like this on your next project click below and get started. We promise to respond quickly with a Fast Track budget number. Keep in mind that the budget number includes the hoistway that is dropped into place. Many folks forget that the elevator comes preinstalled inside the actual steel hoistway wrapped in a mold resistant and fire resistant drywall.
Also remember that the entire elevator and all of the components are already inside. That is why the set process in the picture takes a couple hours and the startup only takes a couple of days. It really is the best system for low and mid-rise applications.
Okay so the headline might be a little hyperbolic and admittedly trying grab some attention. But, modular elevators are clearly gaining ground over Tesla regarding their respective market shares.
With market share as the measure regarding elevators purchased in the United States, modular elevators are at around 2%. And we are growing, according to our own internal numbers where modular elevator sales are compared to elevators sold annually, on average, domestically.
Tesla, on the other hand, can’t touch 2% of total US car sales. January to December, 2019 numbers indicate a paltry 1.3% of market share. So do modular elevators outperform Tesla? Yes! Yet the flashy electric vehicle (EV) is all the rage and modular elevators remain on the sideline in many people’s minds.
Why? Why is one product hot as a baked potato fresh out of the oven and the other fights tooth and nail for any market recognition at all? This is despite modular elevators, especially from MEM being superior to others.
Well part of that is familiarity. Electric cars have been around forever. That’s right electric cars were first produced in the US around 130 years ago. In the 1890’s William Morrison’s electrified wagon was first produced.
It rattled to life with 4 horsepower and traveled at a scintillating 6 to 12 miles per hour. Shockingly, that is only a few miles per hour slower than the average person runs. Of course Usain Bolt easily doubles the juiced up wagons top speed. And I’m guessing the 12 mph estimate was downhill with a stiff breeze helping the effort. However, the public was overwhelmingly accepting of electric cars. By the turn of that century, New Yorkers could even ride in electrified bliss with dozens of electric horseless carriages operating as taxi cabs.
But, that first burst of energy for the industry was not to last. The electric car business took a shock to the system when Henry Ford introduced a mass produced car that was affordable with an internal combustion engine. Electricity as a mode of transportation was out for the time being and the result was the world turned to dirty old gasoline to keep moving.
But that did not keep people from continuing to experiment with the EV. It was always being toyed with and more so when oil and gas prices spike. Familiarity is a benefit.
Much like the electric car, modular elevators have been around longer than you may suspect. Since the passage of the Americans with Disability Act, inventive Americans have been looking for a fast, simple way to make buildings more accessible to everyone. The modular elevator industry was born.
By design in a matter of days a modular unit could be set and started up on the inside or outside a building. That is because in simplest terms it is a hoistway with all of the elevator components already inside ready to go. They are easy to purchase, put in place and exactly like any other commercial elevator (they use the same parts).
Modular elevators have not been around as long as electric cars, but have been around since President Bush signed the ADA into law…the first Bush. That means the manufacturing technology for modular elevators is older than DVDs, the PlayStation, Google and Tickle Me Elmo. We have been around for a while.
Since we are in the 90’s, a second reason Tesla is seemingly in the forefront of people’s minds is the overall governmental investment in their technology. To quote Cuba Gooding Jr. from the movie Jerry Maguire “Show me the money!”
First, let me say that this is not a slight against Elon Musk and his pals. Hey, if the government wants to throw tons of money at you, the best suggestion is to get as big a basket as you can find. But, the money filling the air for the EV industry is staggering and some consider it to be obscene. According to a 2017 report the federal government is forking over 15 to 20 billion to the electric car industry in subsidies. States then kick in another 400 to 500 million. That’s US dollars not Indonesian rupiahs.
Tesla’s or Musk’s cut of the subsidy pie has been a bone of contention for critics and apologists alike. Some say he and his companies have gotten upwards of 4.9 billion from government coffers and others argue less. But no one disputes that the government is cutting a massive amount of checks to help the industry. And don’t worry about Elon’s future or his bank account going down there is more…much more to come in the form of government paid for charging stations. You can’t have electric cars if you can’t charge them. This makes Musk’s machine marketable. Without government paid for charging stations who would want one?
All I want to know as a US taxpayer is where’s my thank you note? Elon owes me one. I will be waiting by my mail box with fingers crossed.
Subsidies do not exist for the modular elevator business. We have benefited from the ADA law, no doubt. It was the catalyst for the industry. But propping up new elevator technology was never the point. ADA was to provide access to people who need it. You will find MEM elevators in a growing number of government building projects as well, but no one gets a payout from Uncle Sam when they choose our product over another. That is unlike what happens when you choose an electric a car over one that runs on say, biofuels, hydrogen or natural gas.
The tons of money and government support pouring into Tesla means more people pay attention to the business and as unwilling investors (through our taxes) we find ourselves at least interested. I understand the green future argument, but modular elevators are green too. Where do you draw the line?
Lastly, modular elevators have to fight for recognition because don’t have the same sex-appeal or curb-appeal as a Tesla. Sexy is not a term that jumps out at you when you think about modular or elevators. Modular elevators are just like any other type of commercial elevator that you find in office buildings, multi-family complexes, hotels, hospitals and schools. The design is usually more about being utilitarian. Sure there are a few really cool elevators out there (check out my elevator bucket list ). But elevators are not usually sleek and impressive or can capture the imagination like a fancy-schmancy sports car.
Yes, we love it when we have the opportunity to stretch our creative legs with a great designer or architect, like with the elevator pictured. But mostly we design and build very nice looking elevators that match the building they are in. Above all they have to be very functional and live up to the rigors of constant use, which they do.
Elevators are also stationary objects. You don’t see one on the road zipping around; of course unless we are delivering one that day on the flatbed trailer of a semi. So elevators are less visible. That’s why Willy Wonka (1 or 2) was last time one was featured in a major motion picture.
One thing for sure when they are delivered and craned into place, it is very impressive. Let’s see Tesla compete with that, sexy or not.
We are kicking Elon Musk’s pants and winning big! And that is despite not have as long a pedigree, as much money thrown at it by the government and the elevator being usually designed for efficiency and not looks. But, that should not keep you from wanting one for your next project because the one thing that Tesla and Modular Elevator Manufacturing have in common is they are the future. That is why both companies are growing leaps and bounds.
If you are the least bit curious and have a project in mind that needs an elevator, click the button below and let the future for you start today. Or of course please contact us with any questions you have about how quality MEM elevators can take you to a higher level.
We are in the news!
Los Angeles, CA. July 23, 2020 — MEM Doubles Factory. Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) has now doubled its production facility. This is in response to a significant increase in sales growth as a result of a new nationwide marketing and sales campaign. Interest in the high-quality commercial modular elevator product is way up due to the national strategy being employed since the beginning of 2020 and the uniqueness of the product itself. MEM elevators are now scheduled to ship from the Los Angeles based company to as far away as New York City and projects are being considered at all points in between.
This dramatic growth in the modular elevator market is despite the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus for many reasons. First, modular elevators set in less than a day. Then they are started up in less than a week in most cases. That means fewer people coming and going from the construction job-site, potentially meaning less spread. This contrasts with the old way elevators have been built. That method requires a steady stream of workers showing up for months at a time and working closely together.
With conventional elevators, a hoistway is constructed first, and then all the components are shipped to the job-site and installed. This can be a painstaking and dangerous process as it all takes place in a cramped hoistway. Now with social distancing a concern, the troop of elevator mechanics, construction workers and helpers required for the conventional method may mean a higher risk for spread.
Second, the modular elevator is manufactured in a controlled environment. Safety protocols can be employed easily That is not the case at most project sites. Social distancing and sanitizing the work area can be easily managed. An additional plus of the factory controlled environment is that there is increased elevator and hoistway quality. The manufactured hoistway is a tough steel frame, sheathed in drywall. All of the elevator components are already installed in a controlled environment. They arrive at the project location, are craned into place, and then started up when power is available.
Lastly, project completion overall is much faster when modular is used. It takes the elevator off the critical path during construction. The job can be completed faster leading to a safer building environment.
All of the benefits makes the sales process more of an education than a high-pressure sales pitch. According to Vice President of Sales, Hugo Beltran “The product is perfect for the times in which we are living. They are high-quality commercial elevators set and started up faster than conventional elevators. This means fewer people at the job-site. That makes modular elevators from MEM greener, safer and smarter.”
He went on to say that education on the benefits is made easier due to the competitive pricing. “We are being selected as the elevator solution by our clients because of the investment. It is a better manufactured, higher quality product in line with general elevator pricing and the hoistway is included.”
At the newly enlarged production facility MEM produces elevators from simple ADA compliant models to freight elevators. They are routinely sold for several types of buildings including educational, hospitality, healthcare, multi-family, commercial, storage and parking structures. For more information on MEM go to at modualrelevator.com. See the article MEM Doubles Factory here.
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.
Architect Canvas – Some elevator projects are simply a plain hoistway. It is utilitarian in nature getting people from point “A” to point “B”. But often the elevator hoistway can become an integral part of the design. Modular can meet both needs equally. When they arrive on site they are usually wrapped in a water and mold resistant sheathing and that sheathing can be covered in any material you wish. The flexibility does not end there. They can also be left open to be fitted with glass walls.
Also the interior of the elevator car is just as important. They likewise can be designed as simple boxes used to transport people up and down or an extension of the building design. Really anything is possible.
In the 5th and J project pictured above, the architect wanted an extension of the building design and so the hoistway was created with the integrity of the building’s look in mind. Just because the modular elevator was built in a factory does not mean it is not flexible enough for any design challenge.
If you have a project with a design challenge in mind click the button below. You can get a free, Fast Track budget number and get started today.
Trade Show Success! – The annual CASH (Coalition for Adequate School Housing) Conference was a huge success as it is every year. It always amazes the MEM team at how each year it grows. With that growth we get to meet new people and discuss vertical transportation for schools. CASH gives us a unique opportunity to meet not only the architects and superintendents, but people that use our elevators. From them we get to see how access is improved.
At our booth we hear the stories of replacing rusted out ramps or stairs and rickety old wheelchair lifts. For those in need and this gives us a boost of confidence and pride. Also, we are told of how we have helped save millions in additional costs. With our solution and quality elevators for new construction adding floors saves money instead of sprawling campuses.
This is not to mention the time and resources saved on the job-site when our modular elevator is chosen. We find being the best vertical transportation alternative very satisfying. We will continue to attend CASH Conferences in the future and share with our friends how we love to help.
As for those that do not see value in organizations like CASH. We feel it is their loss by turning their back on the needed mission. Some don’t attend so they can dodge questions about the safety of their product. Or maybe simply they don’t support California schools. We may never know. But one thing we do know is that MEM and TL Shield fully supports CASH and its mission. We look forward to a long relationship with them and the schools of California.
If you were not at the conference and part of the trade show success, but have a project in mind that we could be a part of, just click the button below for a Fast Track budget number. We would love to get started. Of course we will provide formal numbers or bid proposals at your request. Remember that MEM is the best option for any mid to low-rise building, especially California schools.
