The ultimate guide for Temporary Industrial Structures
What is a temporary building?
A type of construction designed for a limited time, to fill the requirements for different industries, from industrial storage and warehousing to events and conferences. They come in different sizes, with different designs and specifications according to the costumer’s needs.
Temporary structures can be known as portable buildings, semi-permanent structures, prefabricated buildings, but fundamentally it means a building that can be installed and easily relocated – suitable for short- or long-term use. By choosing temporary structures, you can rapidly increase operational capacity or on-site storage space with minimal cost, interruption and delay.
Why choose a temporary structure?
Time
The building can be built on your site at short notice and fast, with minimal labour, equipment, and material costs. The build process is fast and easy, so it won’t impact on your daily operation. The dismantle will be also very fast, leaving your site clean and unmarked.
Cost
Less expensive than a concrete construction of the same size and maintenance costs.
Can be hired for different time periods, as per your needs, thus lowering the cost with the initial investment
Flexibility
Can be easily modified, linked, or relocated. They can be designed and manufactured in order to adapt to your site, meaning that they can be built specifically to your requirements.
Types of Temporary Structures
Non insulated buildings
A cost-effective alternative with great weather protection, appropriate for storing goods or equipment that are less temperature sensitive. For added security, the roof is single-skin PVC, and the walls are either PVC or corrugated sheet steel. We can make PVC walls in any colour that is clear, translucent, or opaque, and they can be Dutch-laced to give access at any point. Aluminium is used for the main framework, with steel connecting inserts.
Non-insulated temporary buildings are ideal for applications like industrial canopies and basic warehouses that require a low-cost, low-risk, high-quality structure.
Insulated buildings
The Solid Walling system offers greater security and better protection to the elements than the traditional one piece or two-piece Dutch lace PVC wall.
The customer that hires the structure for a winter event often prefers the solid wall over and above the PVC version due to its greater insulation and acoustic properties.
Insulated Temporary Structures are the appropriate solution for sensitive storage, movable warehouse needs, workshop buildings, and public amenities.
Modular Buildings
All the temporary buildings are modular.
The important part of the structure is the width – how wide do you want to go, is there space to build it? The length of the structure is infinite.
Bay sizes are 3m for the smaller structures and 5m for the larger structures but can be manufactured to a different bay size should that be required. Being modular, many of the parts are interchangeable.
It is possible to put structures side by side by aligning the legs up. When you do this, the two structures can be guttered together to ensure a good fit.
Emergency Buildings
By emergency one can interpret this as being an emergency that a temporary building is needed as a result of a fire, or maybe a need to get something protected and under cover.
Other uses for emergency could be for a temporary fire station and police station.
Tents and structures
The temporary structures can be manufactured to fit all requirements, from 3m to 25m wide in 3m or 5m increments. They are simple to build, modular in design and strong enough for the UK environment.
The frames are manufactured from aluminium, and they are strong and light. The covers are PVC flame retardant to all British and European standards. Windows and doors are also available.
The structures are anchored to the ground using steel earth anchors. On some occasions, when pins are not permitted, or the ground is not suitable, concrete blocks can be used to secure the safety of the shelter.
It is possible to divide the structures to suit your requirements, both inside and outside. It is also possible to have solid walls, manufactured with insulated steel panels.
The structures are easily dismantled and moved to a new area should this be required.
Usage
Storage
Whether you need to store vehicles, furniture or pallets, the temporary structures are the best solution.
The temporary structures offer a fast and cost-effective solution to your requirement for storage space, providing secure, weatherproof premises on almost any scale. Constructed in a matter of days, they can also be expanded or reconfigured later if your space requirements change. The component nature of the structures allows for a wide range of internal layouts to suit your storage needs, incorporating office and retail space if required. An integral flooring system provides a solid, level surface, whatever the terrain, whilst the added option of climate control ensures your stock remains in peak condition.
Construction sites
Used as social areas, catering or for security, the temporary structures are common sights on or near major construction sites.
Industrial
The buildings can be used for manufacturing, retail and storage.
The buildings are manufactured with aluminium frames with hot dipped steel connections. With the options of walling, we can offer the walls can be made from soft PVC, single skin steel or insulated steel sandwich panels.
Roof options are single skin PVC roofs flame retardant to BS5438 pt2 or inflated double skin roofs complete with auto pump. These roofs are very efficient in reducing condensation, quiet in high winds and have an insulation effect in the structure.
If required, gable vents can be inserted for ventilation purposes. Branding gables is also popular with a company logo. Roofs and canopies can also be supplied in different colours. One of the benefits of white roofs is the translucent nature of the PVC allowing a lot of natural daylight inside. If required, lighting can be supplied, thereby allowing work or storage to be carried on late in the day.
Access into the structures can be with personnel doors and by roller shutters. Roller shutters allow a regular sized waggon to drive inside allowing goods to be loaded or unloaded in the dry, thereby protecting the merchandise.
Agricultural
There is a large range of temporary structures available for agriculture, whether as a cold stall or a building that forms part of a larger farmstead. The temporary structure is vigorous and stable, extendable, expert-engineered and adaptable. When it comes to such buildings, permanent or temporary, why leave anything to chance? The temporary structures are made from high-quality materials, ensuring that farmers get a building that is robust and dependable, as well as one that cattle and workers can enjoy and thrive in.
Carport / Hangar
The spacious Carport comes in standard eave heights of 3m to 6m with a flexible width range of 3m to 25m, and an even more flexible range of length, thus giving you storage for as many vehicles as you want.
The very spacious environment gives you plenty of room to keep your vehicle or to unwind under your cosy shelter. One of temporary carports key advantages is its flexibility of being disassembled and reassembled, which allows you to easily relocate your Carport and just as easily to reassemble it.
Events
The temporary structures are a must for the events all year long. They can be used at music festivals, conferences, concerts or sports events to provide different functions, as bars, restaurants, concert halls, health & safety tents, security booths or even temporary hospitals.
The versatility of the sizes and materials used make the temporary constructions the ideal buildings for any sorts of events.
Retail
Supermarkets are regular users of temporary structures whilst they refurb their stores or even partly rebuild them. They have the benefit of large car parks to allow structures to be built.
In recent years many supermarkets have taken relatively small structures purely as a storage space. The uplift in the goods and stock can go up by 15-20% in the wintertime, and the stores physically run out of space. The use of a tent to not only be for store but also keeping the goods dry whilst unloading.
Other seasonal businesses that experience the growth would include the Royal Mail.
With retail patterns changing daily, such as Amazon, there is greater demand for storage space, vehicles loading and unloading, and deliveries to retailers.
Offices, workspace and education
There comes a time in every company’s development when growing fast generates a need for more office space.
A temporary office building can help you cope while looking for new premises. The structures do not need to be considered temporary as they are built to conform to all the European regulations regarding snow and wind loading.
In addition to the structure, it can be supplied with a level deck floor with carpet or vinyl, or laminate or wood floor, also stone tiles, if that is what you wish. And all that to your choice of colours, heating and lighting.
The structures don’t need foundations, so you can be up and running in a matter of days. There are optional extras with doors and windows. If required, the offices can be completely fit to your satisfaction with furniture and workstations.
Materials used
The manufacture of the frames is done in anodised aluminium.
The use of aluminium is due to its weight and strength. It is a very versatile material that does not rust or rot. The frames are built to conform to all the relevant standards.
The covers are manufactured with flame retardant PVC.
Whilst steel buildings are more competitive in terms of cost, they do require a solid base on which to build. This takes time and costs, something the aluminium does not, as is highly versatile.
The roof covers can be single or double skin PVC. The walls can be made of single skin steel, insulated sandwich type or PVC. To ensure full integration with your existing facilities and processes, the structures can be linked to your own buildings or to each other.
Customisation
Exterior
- Roofs
Can, in different in different colours, single or double skin PVC.
- Walls
The walls can be made of single skin steel, insulated sandwich type or PVC.
- Doors
There are different sizes and types for doors from aluminium frame blind doors fire doors, fire exits to aluminium frame with glass, roller shutters or PVC covers
- Windows
The wide range of windows provided gives a lot of versatility for the temporary building from aluminium frame windows to clear PVC.
Interior
- Flooring
The structures can be provided with different options of flooring, with traffic resistant carpet, anti-skid vinyl, laminate, wood flooring is required. If no flooring is required the existing surface can be used as flooring.
- Lining
The internal walls and ceiling can be covered with marquee lining which comes in a variety of fabrics, sizes and styles giving the opportunity to change the interior design and colours
- Electricity     Â
The temporary structure can be provided with all the necessary appliances from sockets, lights, cabling and power generators if needed.
- Heating & Cooling
Depending oy your needs, the temporary structures can be equipped with industrial heating or cooling systems.
Sizes of temporary structures
The temporary storage structures are available in a range of clear span widths of 3m to 25m and on standard eave heights of 3m, 4m, 5m and 6m. The main framework i.e. the uprights and trusses are manufactured from high-grade anodised aluminium profiles.
All connecting parts are manufactured from hot-dipped galvanised steel. There is an unlimited range of length of 5m bays, to  suit everyone’s needs, suiting customers who only want a short length, and customers who want a longer length, and, also, those who want their length extended.
From project to product
As the law stands, a temporary building can be erected for up to 28 days without the need for planning permission.
However, as the aluminium frame is classified as ‘demountable’, it means that a lot of the structures are installed for a lot longer and can be dismantled easily. It is worth noting that there is no need for foundations, stressing to the relevant councils its temporary nature.
Each project is unique. The design team will make sure all your needs are taken into consideration. Once the details of the project are clear and understood, the  manufacturing team will create the frames and the necessary accessories for the temporary building.
The temporary structure can be ready in 4 to 14 days depending on the complexity. The montage team will generally erect the structure in a day or more, size dependant, and you will be able to use the building as soon as possible.
Hiring temporary industrial structures
If you need the structure for less than 2 years, the best cost-effective solution is to hire it. This is a solution for storage, manufacturing and many other applications. The benefit of rental is the flexibility of the contract. There is no need for a major capital outlay and the services include delivery, installation, dismantle and transport.
