More Urban Schools Turning to Permanent Modular Buildings

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Mike Slataper

A month ago, I asked the following question on the “School Construction News” discussion blog:  “Have any of you used a Permanent Modular Building System to expand existing school campuses or build entire new campuses? It appears to work especially well with rural schools.”  I expected to hear primarily from small rural districts.  Instead two large, prominent school districts, Milmont School District in Reading, Pennsylvania, and Miami-Dade School District in Florida commented that they regularly used permanent modular construction to add new campuses and expand existing ones. Click Here for LinkedIn Group Discussion

While Ramtech worked in Texas with both the Arlington and Alief Independent School Districts in expanding a number of their campuses, most urban school districts throughout the Southwest do not realize that permanent modular construction is a perfect building system for expanding existing school campuses.   Ramtech has been active in school construction for over 30 years and its Accelerated Building System saves both time and money compared to traditional site construction.  Why do districts like Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Ft Worth, and Austin not think of modular construction as a means to expand their campuses?   The reason is simple:  When large school districts throughout the SW (with the possible exception of California) think of modular construction, they think of temporary, portable buildings.  They do not realize that permanent modular buildings can be built non-combustible, with the same concrete foundations as traditional site constructed buildings, while built to the same model building codes.  Recently, the Modular Building Institute (MBI), the trade association that supports the commercial modular industry, committed to investing both time and money on educating both architects and school districts on the benefits of permanent modular construction.  This would aid those school districts that are working hard to get within their reduced budgets while providing high quality buildings much faster. Click here to learn more about permanent modular school construction

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Mike Slataper is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Ramtech Building Systems, Inc.

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Ramtech’s Modular Buildings Now Available thru the GSA

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Ramtech Building Systems

Ramtech Building Systems is proud to announce our new contract award (GS07F0108Y) with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Schedules program.  The GSA is the primary agency of the U.S. Government that is tasked with developing best price buyer’s contracts to maximize the value and minimize the costs associated with procurement for all government agencies. The GSA Schedule has a large variety of products at pre-negotiated or “most favored customer” (MFC) pricing, available from select government-approved companies. Government contracting officers determine whether prices are fair and reasonable by completing a comparison of price and non-price factors that a company offers the government with those that are offered to commercial customers. Government buyers are then able to make purchases knowing that the GSA has managed the entire process and all the associated legal obligations that go with it. Ramtech’s modular building offerings will be listed under Schedule 56, defined as “Buildings and Building Materials, Industrial Services and Supplies.” This is a broad category that encompasses everything from complete buildings to alternative energy solutions.  Continue reading →

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Modular Buildings and Energy Development

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Ramtech Building Systems

Ramtech’s investment and focus on product development is once again on display as we have expanded our modular building offerings for the oil and gas industry. Recently, our emphasis has been on developing skid mounted and wheeled chassis product designs that utilize a robust construction approach that will meet the rigors of working in remote, severe, or unfriendly environments while still providing for the features and amenities demanded in what is now a very competitive and tight energy labor market. Included are standard floor plan designs for small and large man camps, workforce and oilfield housing, offices, sleepers, tool pushers, dining and mess halls, recreation facilities, infirmaries, and washcars and laundries. All of the prefabricated facilities utilize single point connections to public or temporary utility sources and are factory-furnished with appliances, furniture, utensils and even linens for immediate field deployment. Targeted at short or long-term use for both end-user operators and turnkey logistics and property management groups, we expect that these product offerings will be extremely versatile and ideally suited for the fast-growing development areas like the Bakken Oil Shale Formation in North Dakota and the Eagle Ford Shale Gas Play in South Texas, the sixth largest domestic oil discovery in US history.

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Modular Buildings Aid KIPP Charter School Development

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Sabrina Queen

The charter school building boom continues on. Ramtech announced this week that we have secured a new contract for the design, fabrication, and construction of five modular buildings for KIPP Delta Public Schools of Helena, Arkansas. The project will provide for three 8,100 square foot eight-classroom buildings, a 3,600 square foot food preparation and cafeteria facility, and a 3,600 square foot administrative office complex. The modular buildings will be delivered and installed prior to the start of the 2012-2013 academic school year at their new campus location in Blytheville, Arkansas. This will be Ramtech’s second modular school construction project for KIPP, one of the nation’s largest charter school providers serving more than 32,000 students at 109 schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia. The new campus location is part of a four-acre development designed by Stuck & Associates Architects of Jonesboro, Arkansas. Ramtech will provide the modular buildings as a subcontractor to Rowan Construction Services of Marianna, Arkansas the general contractor selected for the project. Continue reading →

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Does the Term “Modular Construction” Still Fit?

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Mike Slataper

Recently there has been considerable discussion within the Modular Building Institute on the use of the term “modular”.  Some industry leaders believe that the term modular is confusing, and using it to describe both temporary and permanent commercial buildings is a mistake.  In the residential industry, modular only refers to permanent homes, while manufactured housing refers to relocatable HUD Coded homes.  In Europe, most modular companies refer to their building system as “off-site construction.”

The commercial modular industry in the United States has changed significantly over the last 30 years.  When Ramtech entered the industry in 1982, the commercial modular industry concentrated on relocatable mobile offices and temporary classroom buildings.   Most modular projects were built on outrigger frames set on block foundations, and if they were not moved within 5 years, they were considered permanent.  Operating and finance leases dominated as these mobile buildings were considered personal property.

During the last 5-10 years, the industry has changed dramatically.  While temporary buildings are still an important part of the commercial modular industry, permanent modular building systems are becoming the norm and are now thought to compete well with site framed buildings, as well as tilt-wall and steel building systems.  Architects, major contractors, and owners are beginning to see “Permanent Modular Construction” (PMC) as a means of completing commercial projects faster and at a lower cost.

While there may always be some confusion when the term “Modular” is used, a lot of time and money has gone into educating architects, large contractors, and owners on the benefit of commercial modular construction and progress is being made every day.  Virtually every week we see a news release or blog posting that speaks to the growing acceptance of modular construction as a viable alternative to stick-built construction.  Commercial modular buildings are built in a manufacturing plant, in a controlled environment, to the same building codes as site constructed buildings.  They can be Type 5 wood construction or Type 2 non-combustible construction, and in the case of Ramtech’s permanent modular building system, can utilize a concrete slab foundation.

As more hospitals, schools, office complexes, and military facilities are built using permanent modular building systems, the overall construction industry will come to better understand “Permanent Modular Construction.”  Let’s not change the name of our industry or the product we produce.  Let’s continue to educate the public so that 5 years from now “Permanent Modular Construction” will be viewed by everyone as a great option for commercial construction.  The industry’s goal should be to grow the size of the industry from approximately 2% of commercial building construction to 20%.  Staying consistent in our message to owners, architects, and large general contractors is critical to achieving this goal.

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Mike Slataper is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Ramtech Building Systems, Inc.

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Immanuel Lutheran Now Ready for Modular Building Project

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Sabrina Queen

Some projects simply take a while to happen, but patience and perseverance generally win out in the end as it has for Ramtech on many occasions. Such is the case for a new design-build contract that we just secured for the design, fabrication, and construction of a 13,440 square foot 14-classroom modular building that will be delivered and installed for Immanuel Lutheran Christian Academy in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Scheduled for completion by the end of the second semester of the 2011–2012 school year, the new modular building will be used to support Immanuel Lutheran’s new full-day preschool program which will be moving from the main church building to the new facility. The building, which includes office space, a common play area, and break room along with the individual classrooms, will be built utilizing Ramtech’s traditional modular construction approach. The interior surfaces will feature vinyl covered walls and resilient tile flooring, while heating and cooling is achieved through the use of eight wall-mounted HVAC units zoned to provide the maximum in energy efficiency. Two sides of the exterior will incorporate a NICHIHA fiber-cement brick panel wainscot together with an elastomeric paint finish applied over HardiePanel for the top portion, with the remaining sides clad in a 26-gauge R-panel metal siding. Continue reading →

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Fort Worth’s Covenant Classical Returns to Expand Their Modular Buildings

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Sabrina Queen

In the modular construction business, having an opportunity to work with a client a second time requires an initial project that meets or exceeds the customer’s expectations. Most construction projects never go perfectly from start to finish, but you don’t often get a second chance if you don’t end up getting it right the first time. One of the many positive historical attributes associated with Ramtech is the fact that we have never failed to successfully complete a project. This track record has allowed us to not only win new projects but also gives us the opportunity to work with previous clients on their future building needs. This was the case with Covenant Classical School, a K-12 interdenominational classical Christian school founded in 1999 and located in far-west Fort Worth, Texas.  Three years ago after Covenant relocated to their present 36 acre campus, Ramtech was tasked with providing four buildings totaling 23,598 square feet. The project consisted of three 7,236 square foot buildings for their lower, middle, and upper schools as well as an in 1,890 square foot administrative office building. The lower school building provided for nine classrooms and a teachers lounge, while the middle school facility included seven classrooms, a music room, and locker space. The upper school building features a large assembly/lunchroom, with the science lab and four classrooms. Covenant now plans to expand by adding an addition to one of the classroom buildings to accommodate another 90 students on top of their current enrollment level of 226. Ramtech will once again provide all design-build services including manufacturing and installation of the additional modules as well as all site development including the civil design. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of spring 2012.

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Sabrina Queen works in Business Development for Ramtech Building Systems, serving the needs of the education market with temporary classroom facilities.  She has been in the modular building industry for over 20 years

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Ramtech Runs into the New Year at TASA Education Expo in Austin

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Ramtech Building Systems

2011 turned out to be a banner year for Ramtech as we completed a number of temporary and permanent modular building projects in the education market. On the permanent side, our Accelerated Building System permanent modular construction process included completed classroom expansions for Hubbard ISD and Blue Ridge ISD in Texas and Clary Sage College in Oklahoma. Numerous portable classroom and multiple classroom wing projects were also completed for public, private, and charter schools throughout the Southwest. So as we head on into the New Year, Ramtech will once again be on full display at the 2012 Texas Association of School Administrators Midwinter Conference and Education Expo January 30 & 31 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. Ramtech education specialists Sabrina Queen and Mike Smith will represent both our temporary and permanent education designs in a 20 foot booth located in spaces 1231 & 1330. Dubbed “Creating a New Vision for Public Education in Texas” the conference will be headlined by Robert Ballard, discoverer of the RMS Titanic and chairman of The Jason Project which connects students with scientists and researchers, virtually and physically, to provide mentored, authentic and enriching science learning experiences. Ramtech will once again represent our relationship with the Texas Association of School Boards BuyBoard program, who will also be in attendance in the exhibit hall together with over 300 other exhibitors representing a wide variety of educational products and services.

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Glencoe Shows Off Their Permanent Modular Elementary School Building

Posted on December 10, 2011 by Mike Smith

Earlier we reported that Ramtech recently went back on the road to visit with some of our previous permanent modular building school clients in and around the northern Oklahoma area. We took along our video gear to record the thoughts and comments of our clients now that the completed projects were behind them and they have had a chance to thoroughly evaluate the facilities and reflect back on the experience of working with Ramtech. Our last stop was to meet with John Lazenby, Superintendent of Glencoe Public Schools in Glencoe, Oklahoma located 80 miles west of Tulsa where Ramtech provided the District with a new elementary school. Purchased through the Texas Buyboard cooperative purchasing network and built using Ramtech’s Accelerated Building System permanent modular construction method, the 6,272 square foot six-classroom facility is part of a rebuilding program to replace some of their original facilities. John was kind enough to give us his thoughts from inside the new building and had this to say about his experience working with Ramtech:

Mike Smith works in Business Development for Ramtech Building Systems, Inc.  He serves primarily the Education Market where he has experience in sales, estimating, and project management of permanent school facilities. Mike has worked in the construction industry for 36 years.

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Ramtech Initiates New Modular Buildings Education Program for Charter Schools

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Ramtech Building Systems

Ramtech announced this week the launch of a new program on the benefits of using modular construction for charter school providers. The initiative will provide an opportunity for the educators to learn about the recent innovations and practical applications in the use of temporary and permanent modular buildings when developing new schools or additions to existing campuses. The program will consist of privately scheduled meetings where teams of educators can meet with and explore Ramtech’s capabilities through ‘lunch and learn’ sessions with the company’s technical sales, engineering, and project management personnel. Tours of our manufacturing operation will also be part of the agenda, along with a demonstration facility consisting of a fully finished standard floorplan six-classroom modular wing addition with restrooms that will be available for viewing. The idea is to assist charter schools in the pre-planning stages of their facility requirements while providing them with a first-hand look at what can be done using our approach to temporary and permanent modular buildings. Ramtech plans to have the program in place and operational in January. Since the beginning of 2011, Ramtech has secured orders for seven charter school projects of various sizes and complexity, bringing the total square footage under development to over 80,000 square feet.

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