Image courtesy of Bradken.

Bradken, the Kansas manufacturing company, was experiencing some increasing success, and they found that space in their main Atchison facility was getting tight. They needed additional workspace but, being fundamentally fiscally conservative in philosophy and facing the possibility of economic slowdowns, they were seeking a solution that would be both quick and economical. They also needed quality workspace and did not want to get involved in the kind of major construction project that might be disruptive to their operations.

Jim Stephan of IBT St. Joseph and Maureen Parker, a Warehouse Equipment Specialist, offered a solution that worked for the customer: look up. As a result, the customer is using two Porta-King mezzanines to turn thin air into usable space. They are also adding two in-plant office spaces. Total square footage of all the projects is greater than 1,700 and cost for the whole project, including installation, is less than $50 square foot.

Image courtesy of Bradken.

Pre-manufactured mezzanines gave this facility the opportunity to expand quickly and affordably. They recognized the opportunity to maximize their usable space without the hassles of an on-site construction crew. The location's high ceiling allowed them to grow upward and turn their existing, unused space into a usable, expanded working environment.

Porta-King’s pre-engineered mezzanines have been designed with an installation process that is up to 40 percent faster than other mezzanine systems.

In creating the new space, the customer had the opportunity to choose from Porta-King’s unique features. These included a single piece panelized guard rail system that installs directly onto the deck of the mezzanine and fully pre-assembled stairs. Porta-King mezzanines also offer pre-installed beam to column and purlin connections. The beam to column connections in the mezzanine are AISC Type 1 and Type 3.

Image courtesy of Bradken.

Going the Porta-King route offered another advantage, as well. All of the materials in the project are reusable. If their space needs change, redesign is quick and easy. Porta-King finds that most of their customers will redesign a new in-plant structure at least once during its useful life. And, of course, this kind of flexibility is not possible in a conventionally built structure.

Porta-King and IBT Material Handling provide building space solutions for customers. From conception to installation, these projects are solution-oriented and are custom designed to meet the specific needs and applications of your business. Structures from IBT and Porta-King give business owners the opportunity to make better use of their square footage without facing the high cost of new building construction or expansion. It sure worked for Bradken.

If you'd like to see how a Porta-King solution can help you, ask your IBT sales rep or talk to a IBT Warehouse Equipment specialist.