_______________________________________________________________________________________ Modular construction
Transforming the construction arena
Jackie Maginnis , Chief Executive of the Modular and Portable Building Association ( MPBA ) was certainly ahead of her time , not only as a high-profile woman in construction but also in promoting the benefits of advanced building technologies . With a long and illustrious career , for over 50 years she has been involved in construction related businesses . With a mission to develop a wider understanding of what can be achieved using volumetric modular construction , Jackie considers recent industry events .
Scanning the headlines , you could not fail to notice that some relatively new entrants to the volumetric modular industry are facing challenging times . But the outlook in mature commercial markets is more positive , driven by increased demand in the healthcare and education sectors . Many consider Modern Methods of Construction ( MMC ) to be relatively new , but this transformative technology has evolved over many decades .
It is hard to believe that industry pioneers in the volumetric sector such as Wernick ® Group have been around since 1934 . Not long after other major players in today ’ s industry joined the ranks , with the foundation of Portakabin in 1961 , followed by Elliott Group ( Algeco ) in 1963 , Pickerings in 1969 and Thurston Group in 1970 .
So how have these companies stood the test of time ? There is not one simple answer . But in the main it is down to developing technical solutions to overcome inherent industry issues whilst also having a keen eye on the future and anticipating what is coming down the track .
Image Credits – Portakabin Group
A simple but effective tactic
It is universally agreed that a robust and regular pipeline of work is essential to ensure that the overheads incurred in running the high-tech manufacturing facilities associated with offsite construction are covered . Planning ahead for the peaks and troughs
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