Built Modular by BOXX Modular

Plant turnaround is an essential process that should not be overlooked and should be performed regularly to preserve the lifespan of a plant. It can increase the overall production performance, improve product quality, reduce unit downtime, and drastically reduce the plant’s operating cost. It typically takes place twice a year (in the spring and fall) and may span a few weeks, months, or even years, depending on the line of work and how efficient the process is.

In another episode of Built Modular by BOXX Modular, host Gabrielle Bejarano chatted with Errick Small, a BOXX Sales Representative, about plant turnaround and how BOXX Modular can use their expertise to provide a safe and efficient modular solution.

They discussed:

1) Meaning of plant turnaround and challenges this necessary process presents.

2) What sets BOXX apart in making the process an easier one?

3) The timeline for getting your new building project done.

As mentioned by Errick, “We are providing temporary modular buildings that can be used in a variety of different functions such as office space, launch room space for craft workers, washroom facilities, laundry facilities, and we are able to rapidly deploy this equipment in a safe and economic setup for the client.”

Today, Indigenous people are dependent on funding and grants to run various programs within their communities. For Black Diamond Group (BDG) in Canada, their focus is on helping the Indigenous prosper through mutual partnership.

So, why is it important to keep Indigenous groups at top of mind? As exclusion was formerly the norm, Canada now embarks on a unique political landscape where reconciliation is at the forefront, and Black Diamond Group is leading the way.

Host of Built Modular, Tyler Kern, welcomed Black Diamond Group’s Scott McLeod, Senior Indigenous Relations Advisor, and Jonathan Stringer, VP of Marketing and Community Relations to the show to discuss:

1) Why reconciliation matters and how it isn’t something that’s “scary”

2) How best to form a trusting relationship with Indigenous communities

3) Black Diamond Group’s guiding principles and its opportunities for Indigenous partnerships

McLeod spoke in-depth on the importance of building trust in his relationships, based on a sacred Indigenous tradition:

“We’re always guided at Black Diamond… by the Seven Grandfather Teachings. These traditional teachings have been passed down generations in Indigenous communities across the country and is a concept we aim to embody in everything that we do.”

As a leading company focusing on reconciliation in Canada, McLeod and Stringer encourage other Canadians to join Black Diamond Group in making everyone’s community better, including Indigenous people. Visit Black Diamond’s corporate responsibility page for more information.

For more episodes of Built Modular, visit their show page on MarketScale.com or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Although natural disasters are not a daily occurrence for everyone, an event such as a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or fire is a situation that it’s important to be prepared for. MPA Systems modular construction by BOXX Modular is set up to quickly and efficiently provide secure buildings in the event of a disaster. Host Tyler Kern spoke with David Strong, Branch Manager at MPA Systems, about the unique use-case of their modular buildings during disaster recovery.

As a fifty-year-old company, MPA Systems has a plethora of experience in its pocket and now designs, builds, and delivers modular financial institutions, “…to lease, to sell, as well as our product offering in the disaster recovery environment,” said Strong.

MPA Systems focuses on building financial institutions which can be delivered and set up in less than 72 hours throughout the United States. Strong noted, “all financial institutions are required to have some sort of disaster recovery plan or business continuity plan.” While this can include an advertisement for another branch nearby, the financial institutions must offer an environment for their customers to continue to operate.

“What we offer for that is we have an annual program, similar to insurance, but they pay us an annual fee that in case they have a natural disaster…we get them a building with all the equipment up and running in less than 72 hours,” Strong explained.

These buildings are unconventional from typical modular frames. They are designed specifically with financial institutions in mind and often include a bullet-resistant teller window, a deal drawer, a night depository, and a receiving safe. All of which allow for walk-in and drive-through customers. Given the lack of functional utilities in disaster zones, MPA Systems also offers a power generator, computers, and satellite connectivity.

Strong emphasized, “So, it’s truly a deliver on-site plug and play.”

The process of procurement is often a lengthy, confusing, and full-time job. To help ease this process, TIPS-USA acts as a cooperative to help net procurement. Jensen Mabe, VP of Sales for TIPS-USA, sat down with host Tyler Kern to discuss the cooperative purchasing process and how they remain a nationally leading co-op in that space.

Formed in 2002, TIPS helps make purchasing personal. In cooperative purchasing, Mabe said, “We put out category IDIQ contracts where vendors respond and go through a reward process.” Not only does this take the burden off the public agencies, but Mabe emphasized, it allows entities to jump straight to the table of negotiating pricing, saving both time and money.

Free to public agencies, membership with TIPS assures that you are receiving quality vendors at great prices. Membership, Mabe said, is easy to join via an online membership form or inter-local agreement/board resolution form to complete. The process is fast and easy and helps serve industry sectors such as education, government, and non-profit.

TIPS-USA works with BOXX Modular to establish prices ready to go. Mabe stated that building these permanent and portable modular buildings receives two parts in the process, procurement prior to work and JOC.

With 12 program managers located across the nation available to work with vendors and members, TIPS managers assist in case BOXX, or other vendors, outsell their contracts, and helps ensure pricing is reviewed and compliant with the contract.

With the myriad of protective measures, Mabe emphasized that TIPS acts as “a helping hand” in the job-order contracting process. All TIPS employees are active and engaged with their clients and Mabe emphasized the personal aspect of care, “If you pick up the phone and call TIPS it’s not a voice messaging system that you get.”

Working with BOXX Modular, and the growth that has come for TIPS following this partnership, has helped TIPS continue growing, Mabe said. TIPS helps save time and money while providing access to quality vendors with a vast degree of transparency. To learn more information about TIPS-USA, visit www.tips-usa.com.

Mark Meyers, General Manager of Marketing Services at BOXX Modular, joined host Daniel Litwin for a deep dive into the world of modular construction with a focus on designing, developing and delivering the individual modules that make up a complete building solution.

From the decisions that impact the quality and feasibility of a modular building to the strategies that work best for specific industries, Meyers and Litwin left no stone unturned.

For starters, what are the main differences between a modular building process and traditional construction?

“I would say the primary difference of modular versus conventional construction is that the buildings are constructed in sections in manufacturing facilities that may not be anywhere near the end construction site,” Meyers said. “Once these modules are constructed, then they’re delivered to the site, they’re put together, and they form a very similar building to a conventional structure.”

As for similarities, Meyers said both processes share a commonality with the types of materials used in construction. “The building materials, whether it be wood or steel or concrete, even the finishes, the windows, the doors, plumbing, fixtures; they’re all very much similar, if not the same, in both.”

And, while a customer may turn to modular construction for time and cost considerations, Meyers said that doesn’t reduce quality. “Our base spec is not going to provide you with something that’s going to fall apart in a year. That’s not the way that we operate. We make sure that our base spec supplies the quality that any customer requires. But there are always upgrades that can be put into any building.”

The idea of using modular materials for quick construction dates back centuries. On this episode of Built Modular, host Daniel Litwin welcomes Carl Bennett, General Manager of Contract Services for Vanguard Modular for an in-depth discussion of the history of modular construction and how it’s evolved in the modern era.

Carl Bennet has been in the business for 50 years and is one of the original members of the Modular Building Institute, a legacy organization of dealers, manufacturers, installers, and other industry professionals.

Commercial modular, prefabricated, or relocatable construction has historical examples from ancient Rome to covered wagons and premade houses for British colonies. The modern era of modular construction took off in the early 20th Century and was largely driven by residential housing. In the WWII era companies used relocatable construction to house workers, putting towns up almost overnight.

From these origins, modular construction has boomed over the last fifty years, expanding from residential units into commercial buildings like offices, laboratories, and schools. These market forces brought enhancements and innovations to the typical modular building offerings. Engineers and architects began to see the opportunities and pushed the industry forward. “Just about anything you could envision construction-wise was now transitioning from site-built conventional to modular,” Bennet said.

Bennet’s deep and detailed knowledge of the industry history gives him valuable insights into where the business is heading in the future. From the impact of Covid on quick construction for health care facilities to meeting the needs of the housing industry, modular construction will continue on a path of growth into new market sectors. “Modular has come such a long way in its construction, in its acceptance, and in its use,” Bennet said.