We need Supportive Housing Elevators Fast. Supportive housing is also referred to affordable housing or low income housing, but regardless of the name the need is more than evident. So, when it comes to housing the homeless, faster is better to address the issue. But also we must use the resources available in a timely fashion. Funds are being allocated to help right now. As an example the Los Angeles City Council has approved more than $51 million in financing for the construction of new affordable and permanent supportive housing developments.
But that funding can be slippery if not acted on quickly and the need could continue to go unaddressed if not used. The bottom line is that funds allocated need to result in actual building projects that are designed for housing the at risk population as quickly as possible.
And there is the problem. As everyone in the construction industry knows, a building does not pop up overnight, even when funding is approved and support is given. It takes plumbing, electric, foundation work, drawings, permits and approvals. Lastly, if over one story the project takes the slowest component of any build project, an elevator. But TLShield and Modular Elevator Manufacturing (MEM) has the solution.
Elevator Sales Executive – Christian Lahud from TLShield & Associates explains, “In traditional construction the elevator hoistway is built and sits until power is turned on at the end of the project. Then and only then elevator technicians show up. They come and go at their leisure, carrying in elevator parts and installing them one at a time until the elevator is running.” Lahud went on to say that, “The elevator and its mechanics are the first on the site and last to leave. Everything is slowed down including other trades that need the elevator installed to finish.”
The MEM Elevator System however is produced in a factory environment where a hoistway is constructed with steel. The structure is engineered to be strong enough to be self-supporting in most cases. Then all of the elevator components are installed in the hoistway in the factory.
Ultimately, when it is needed it is loaded on to a truck, shipped to the jobsite and set in place. In four hours you will have a fully installed, commercial quality elevator ready to be started up and used. It can also double as a construction elevator.
Lahud says this makes MEM perfect for the affordable housing market. “The MEM Elevator System is high-quality, but fast in setting and startup. It is a real solution where speed is of the essence to address a pressing need. No other elevator system is shipped and in place when the customer wants it.”
How do we know we are the solution? Over the decades of experience we have produced several elevators for supportive housing with just a couple of the most recent projects pictured. As you can see, whether a steel frame structure or modular structure involving storage containers, the MEM Elevator System is a perfect fit. We can be what you need regardless of the structure type. Right now due to the speed of modular construction and the immediacy of the problem there seems to be a high demand for modular structures. But another fast way to build housing is using an existing structure.
With that in mind, we are perfect for retrofit opportunities. The initial purpose of the modular elevators was to attach them quickly to exteriors of existing buildings to make them more accessible. We have grown from servicing just that market over the past 30 years, but we are still experts you can rely on if you have a retrofit project in mind.
Wrapping it all up the benefits are obvious:
It maybe time to explore the possibilities further regarding supportive housing elevators and 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 and show you how we produce the industry’s most successful modular elevator solution.
6 Reasons Modular Quality Matters – We have all been frustrated by low quality. Items purchased in good faith sometimes seem to break before they come out of the box. Or once out of the box, they look or perform nothing like what was pictured or promised when we bought the item. Instead of being happy with the purchase, words like cheap and flimsy cross our lips, meaning that we have been had. The more expensive the item, the more remorse follows.
However, in the modular industry quality is high because we take an antiquated process where onsite construction is the norm and move it to a production facility. What was then built by various people, in various trades, in various conditions becomes an orchestrated symphony of production. Historically poor quality and high cost is moved to a factory where exact processes and standards can be measured and accomplished. The modular process takes various acts of individual quality to a habit of success. For instance, at the Modular Elevator Manufacturing (our commercial elevator supplier) facility, they produce hoistways that are always plumb and level. That is simply due to the factory processes that cannot be accomplished on the jobsite and it shows.
“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.”
Aristotle
As Aristotle said, “Quality is not an act, it is a habit.” And those habits are formalized into higher quality with modular manufacturing. In modular building you will never hear “close enough” or “I guess we will have to make it fit.” It is right every time, because the habits that produce quality are built in.
Unfortunately, there are outliers in some manufacturing facilities. Quality becomes just a slogan. If modular quality matters why do some not improve quality? Procedures are skipped, shoddy workmanship is allowed, new practices are slow to be adopted or worse continued tinkering and “problem solving” doesn’t allow for systems to work. In other words, if you have a team of problem solvers constantly changing the system in an unorganized fashion, the quality will undoubtedly suffer.
At TL Shield we use Modular Elevator Manufacturing for our modular elevators. They make sure changes to procedures are checked and double checked before becoming standard because modular quality matters. One person cannot just change something at a whim, even if it is generally a good idea. The procedure must likewise be changed with the whole team being aware of any alterations. That is where habits of quality are formed for the whole organization.
We agree with the Phil Crosby philosophy of quality and as a literal rocket scientist he knew a thing or two about it. He said, “Quality is the result of a carefully constructed cultural environment. It has to be the fabric of the organization, not part of the fabric.” Quality is not posters, or slogans or bright ideas that get used once and then forgotten.
For us quality is a top-down effort and philosophy emanating from senior leadership and permeating the organization at every level. That is true of Modular Elevator Manufacturing as well. Quality is crucial and should matter that much at every business. It does at Modular Elevator Manufacturing where they take quality seriously.
With that said here are the 6 reasons quality matters at MEM. There are probably more but these are some of theirs:
The entire premise of modular construction is that by instilling factory processes into the construction trade, the industry can produce a higher level of quality, faster and often at a reduced cost. That is what they do at MEM day in and day out. However, when slipshod practices and lack of experience infiltrate the market, quality declines. Then the premise of factory production being better comes under attack.
Whether due to ignorance, no experience or a desire to make a fast buck, when quality is ignored the reputation of the industry gets sullied. The result is a better process that produces a better product (safer, greener and faster) becomes more difficult for the consumer to accept. Who knows how many dollars, how much time and how much energy has been wasted. How many injuries could have been avoided? All due to a very small number of businesses that do not see quality as important.
That is why we do not think “close enough” is good enough. We know that low-quality has a cost to the industry, the customer and to safety. We strive for quality in all we do. Whether you need a multi-family unit elevator or one for a medical facility, an elevator for a retrofit project or new construction we provide a quality solution.
If you have tried other vertical transportation specialists in the past and found that the quality with modular elevator was not as promised, don’t give up. Instead give TL Shield a try. We live by the above list of 6 reasons that modular quality matters and so does MEM. You will not be sold a bill of goods for a fast buck, but instead you will find a partner providing quality you can count on.
If you have a project in mind just click the button below, we would love to consult with you and you can get you budget numbers in less than a day. Of course you can also call us anytime, and have a real conversation with an expert in the elevator industry. We are looking forward to talking to you.
Modular elevator complete! Another great project is complete and up and running. This is just an example of the flexibility that you can have with modular elevators.
We loved working with the team to have another elevator set in less than four hours and up and running in less than a week. Great job to the architect and the GC.
Also, 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 to accent your project that will save you time and general costs 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.
Affordable Housing – Modular Elevator Solution. No one can deny right now there is a problem for urban areas of all sizes and that is affordable housing. According to the most recent stats from “The State of Homelessness in America” a publication of the Council of Economic Advisors, a half-million Americans struggle with housing. 65% of that half-million can be found in homeless shelters while an astonishing 35% or nearly 200,000 are on the streets.
But, I really didn’t need to give you the stats. A stroll down the street in many of our cities reveals the problem without reading a detailed report. Homelessness abounds.
At its core the issue is one of supply and demand. Simply put, there just are not enough residences for a myriad of reasons. As a result the law of supply and demand dictate that many of the homeless are so, because they are priced out of the market. There are just too few housing options. The supply is low – the demand is high and that makes prices likewise high.
One solution is to reform the laws and codes in local jurisdictions that have helped create the problem. Unsurprisingly, the report lays blame at that door and maybe deservedly so. But, good luck with sweeping legislative change, let alone sweeping change fast.
The current political climate in most urban areas makes wholesale changing of housing laws for the better a pipe dream. With that reality it makes the only other solution increasing the supply of affordable housing. The alternative is turning a blind-eye to the problem or to burry our collective heads in the sand.
If more units are the best solution a couple of hurdles need to be crossed. Both time and space need addressing. I am not taking about Albert Einstein and the theory of relativity. Where (space) the housing units can be placed and how fast (time) they can be erected is the concern. This is an immediate crisis and one that will not go away without action so, the faster new housing can be readied for occupancy, the better.
When it comes to housing where it is placed is always key. I recently toured neighborhoods where two completed affordable housing units where ready for occupancy. During the tour I noticed that surrounding the new modular buildings were rows of houses and small apartment complexes. They lined the street, crammed closely together. The houses were probably built in the 40’s or 50’s and most of the houses were still occupied. Several showed a high level of pride in home ownership. As a result it would be unrealistic to acquire those properties in bulk to create a new, sprawling complex. It would be costly and inefficient.
I did however, notice two or three dilapidated units, usually grouped in clusters. There were no rose bushes or neatly trimmed lawns. Graffiti was more common than a car in the drive. They were obviously abandoned. So more housing could be more easily accomplished to use those small narrow lots, instead of buying and bulldozing dozens. But, solving this problem takes more than just a new house being built in place of the old. Multiple units would have to go in that space. That means building up. In the two units I toured it meant a modular elevator.
The second you say “elevator” in any project that is time sensitive eyes roll. Everyone knows that traditional, old-fashioned elevator installation wrecks the timeline for completion. Tacking an additional 6-months, a year or more to the completion date is not unheard of. So, building an affordable housing unit with a traditional elevator is not addressing the immediate need at all. It certainly doesn’t show the homeless population much compassion for the plight they are in, especially when there are alternatives.
Modular building is a much faster option. In the two examples I visited both were purely modular. However, a modular elevator can be used in any type or building project. Even retrofit applications can have a modular elevator installed.
The time savings is because the elevator being built as a completed unit in the factory while the project is still in the process of site prep and permitting. They are then delivered to the jobsite as finished elevators.
Modular elevator units from Modular Elevator Manufacturing can even be used as a construction elevator as they are delivered when you want them.
The elevator is placed in less than four hours and when power is provided they are started up in less than a week. The elevator is removed from the critical path. Problem solved.
Time and space has been inextricably combined by Albert Einstein. His theory linked both into one entity. The same is true with the housing crisis we face.
Time and space are huge obstacles that are linked in the quest for affordable housing. Modular elevators are the solution to addressing both problems at once. The space available means to address the housing crisis we are forced to build up in multi-story units. However, concerns over time constraints and the need to act quickly have dampened the enthusiasm for a multi-story solution. Modular elevators put that solution back on the table. It has worked successfully already in a number of projects we have been a part of.
We are ready to discuss a vertical transportation solution for any low or mid-rise project. Hopefully, we can be a part alleviating the issue of homelessness. Affordable housing is an immediate need and we can be part of the solution. To get the process started just click on the button below. We can provide you with a quote in less than a day.
At Modular Elevator Manufacturing we are fond of saying you get the elevator delivered when you want it. But, exactly how does that work? Obviously, you can’t decide on Friday you want an elevator and one pops up on Monday.
There is a process, however it is not laborious and in comparison to stick-built options. It is significantly easier. But, still there are things that must be done in a certain order for you to get a fully installed, commercial quality elevator set on the day you want.
First, a quick explanation as to how modular saves time and helps you with your project. This will help you see the need for the steps we have put into place. With modular construction overall the key is the period between a project being greenlit and the site prep and foundation work being completed. During that time in traditional construction there is some activity, but most of the work is in a holding pattern.
With modular all of the various components are being built during this time period. So when the cement is dry, the crane arrives and the project get’s its elevator and other modular units if any. Not to confuse matters, but it really doesn’t matter to us when you want the elevator at all. In some projects it goes in first, in others last, some in stages. It all comes down to when it is best for you as long as nothing impedes the crane putting it in place.
So now we get to our process. How does it work for your benefit by taking the elevator off the critical path. I hate to be repetitive but, just to remind you it is a fully installed elevator being delivered (car, rails, wiring, doors, etc. all inside the hoistway). In most cases it will be set in 4 hours or less and then started up when there is power. It has to be adjusted, but all that takes less than a week in most cases. Many people still don’t believe it when the unit arrives on time and completely installed. They are use to the old-fashioned way elevators are cobbled together where deadlines are more like guesses.
There are ten general steps from requesting a Fast Track Number to a fully functioning elevator. Some of the steps literally takes place overnight (like getting you a Fast Track Number). Other steps like the design phase takes a bit longer. We can expedite some of the process as well and there are things you can do to move things along. We will get to that, but first below are the standard steps.
You will notice that it takes 16 weeks to produce a high-quality product. That can be shortened, but not significantly. We produce high-quality elevators and are not a company that will rush things and put the riders at risk. Likewise, we will never compromise on safety on the construction site. Some promise an 8 week elevator, well that can cause disaster.
So to shorten the process the most important thing you can do is to get “Step 3” completed as fast as possible and provide us with a general date you would like to have to the elevator delivered. Completing “Step 3” ensures that the engineering and design will begin and providing a prospective date will allow us to plan and block out manufacturing time for you.
Another thing you can do to keep the timeline short and moving forward is being responsive to requests. Sometimes a project can be delayed for a week or more while we wait for a simple signature.
Lastly, make sure your accounting department knows the process. Sometimes internal processes can slow things down.
Remember, our goal is to get you a fully installed elevator when you want it; not too soon or too late. Communication is crucial. We will be proactive in contact with updates. Also, we understand when the delivery date changes. It is the construction business so things happen and pushing out is a reality. We will remain flexible.
To help stay flexible and informed, your primary contact will be the same person through out the entire process. The person that supplied you with the Fast Track Number will be the same person managing the project every step of the way. They are knowledgeable experts in the industry!
Because we have the most experience in the modular elevator world, we can smooth out and anticipate any problems or issues before they occur. This leads to success of your project as a whole and the elevator portion of the building. We consistently accomplish our goal for our clients of an elevator delivered they want it. We want to do the same for you. Let’s get started with a Fast Track Quote today. Click the button below.
The year 2020 has been a well-deserved punching bag. With the Covid pandemic, governmental mismanagement, the US election, forest fires from California to Australia, riots in American cities, airline crashes, earthquakes, tornados, volcanos, floods and even locust, it will go down as one of the worst years ever in many people’s minds. With bad things occurring in almost biblical proportions how can I blog 2020 Good News?
First, let me say I am purely looking at this from an economic perspective because without a doubt it has been a horrible year for many that have suffered with Covid or have lost loved ones.
And even sticking with just the economics let me acknowledge that for many 2020 has been a devastating mess. Especially in any small to medium sized business that thrives on in-person contact. Masks just don’t work when you are trying to eat out. Then you have all the rule changes about who can go where and do what. I am horrified to think about what the owners and employees of those businesses have been through. Beyond that, what happens if this drags on much longer? We will become a nation of chain restaurants and superstores with jobs permanently lost. The current shuttered stores will just disappear and mom and pop will simply have their hopes and dreams dashed.
However, in the macro 2020 becomes good when you look at humanities collective ability to thrive despite challenging times. Applications for business licenses are up surprising. We are a resilient bunch.
It is also good news if you are in very specific markets. Some have shown surprising growth despite all the bad news of the past twelve months. Who amongst us would not like to turn back the hands of time and buy stock in Netflix, Zoom, Dominoes Pizza or any number of pharmaceutical companies. They are unapologetic winners. This past year has not been bad for many with often the opposite being true.
Modular Elevator Manufacturing thankfully falls into the category of 2020 winners despite the challenges. It begins with the fact that most building and manufacturing was considered essential when others were forced to shutdown. And then generally the entire modular industry is on a continued, decades long upswing. As stated in the recent 2020 Smart Market Report for Prefabrication and Modular Construction by Dodge Data and Analytics:
Prefabrication and modular construction are both experiencing a significant expansion of interest and use as the construction industry seeks to improve safety, productivity, quality, cost, schedule and sustainability performances while continuing to face workforce shortages, cost uncertainties and other challenges.
Stephen A. Jones – Senior Director Industry Insights Research/Dodge Date and Analytics
We at MEM can anecdotally confirm the data put forth by the experts. There was a “significant expansion of interest and use”. In the year 2020 Modular Elevator Manufacturing doubled (yes doubled) sales and production. Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Hugo Beltran is proud of the accomplishment. He said, “The 2020 results are astounding and as a result we’ve had to double the factory space and output capacity. And amazingly we are projecting another doubling for 2021 based on projects already in our pipeline.” 2020 good news!
Although, Beltran would like to take credit for all the growth, he recognizes there is more at play. His team was crucial to success, but there was more. He said, “The construction industry is looking for real solutions to real problems.” And “There are economic and market fundamentals assisting us as the modular industry addresses those problems. So hard work by the MEM employees and the needs of the construction sector are pushing us forward in hitting all-time highs.”
Those needs as echoed in the Dodge report are: cost predictability, improved quality, improved safety, increased schedule certainty, and reduced waste. MEM is simply taking advantage of the opportunity by providing real solutions to longstanding problems in construction. But meeting needs must be more than marketing gimmicks or props in a storefront window or the growth will not accompany the construction market move to modular solutions.
That is why in the modular elevator segment, some flourish and prosper like MEM, while others struggle. While some have to explain away shoddy work and poor engineering. MEM demonstrates what decades of experience can provide with superior service, workmanship and engineering. It is why some struggle with growth despite a market that is booming. While at the same time MEM discusses a Midwestern facility to meet national sales demand. MEM can say 2020 good news (at least in some respects), others are just glad to see it go.
Hopefully for all 2021 will mean a return to more prosperous times and not just some segments. But one thing for certain, if predictions are anywhere close to correct and the market continues to embrace modular solutions in construction, MEM will be a leader in the elevator industry with more growth yet to come.
If you want to be a part of the solutions provided by the modular industry we are willing to help. We will answer any of your questions and provide a Fast Track quote. If you have a low or mid-rise project just contact us. Click the button below and fill out the information. A quote will be prepared and sent to you within 24 hours.
At Modular Elevator Manufacturing we want to thank you on this Thanksgiving Day!
This has been a tough year in a number of ways, however we have continued to grow and expand. We realize that our growth comes from a dedicated team of professionals that manufacture, install and sell our elevators. Thank you to all the employees!
But, just as importantly we want to take this time of Thanksgiving and show our appreciation and heart felt thanks to our loyal partners.
We give thanks that together we make MEM a wonderful solution and a wonderful company.
Thank you!
We at Modular Elevator Manufacturing salute all those that have served our nation. We know that our freedom comes at a price, paid by the men and women of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Many never return. We remember and honor all Veterans on this special day.
Thank you!
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.
