Resort guests explore the convention hall in front of Gaylord's modular theater.

Gaylord Palms, a resort in Florida, had a unique project in mind: they needed to erect a temporary movie theater inside their convention hall which would be composed of tall, sound-reducing walls that could reach the ceiling of their facility. Due to the scheduling of the convention hall, the construction portion of the project had to be done in a slim 48 hours. Considering the nature of the project, the client decided on a modular solution. Modular construction could provide the speed and efficiency to put up a high-quality temporary wall within roughly 48 hours. Also, the client would be able to take down the wall and reuse the modular components for future applications. In the end, Gaylord Palms went with Allied Modular’s building solution to handle their construction needs.

During the design phase, there were constant changes to the structure of the building, even up to the start date of the construction phase. Throughout the process Allied Modular was able to work with the client every step of the way and explain exactly what could be done and how. The timeframe was the most essential component to this project. Gaylord contracted an event company called SenovvA out of California who ran the build-out like a Broadway production, coordinating every phase from beginning to end. There was absolutely no time to waste or else another portion of the project would falter. Allied Modular had to be incredibly precise with every aspect of the job.

The modular movie theater's interior.

Johnson Controls' new fountain enclosure.

Eventually, Johnson Controls decided on using Allied Modular’s modular enclosure system to be constructed around the drinking fountains. Allied Modular’s enclosure would encase the drinking fountain area and keep out contaminants that could be found in the manufacturing plant so that the workers would have clean water to drink on the job.

According to Johnson Controls, it was very easy to work with us throughout the course of the project. They have stated that we were very responsive to any questions or concerns they had. Because of that and of course Allied Modular’s efficient modular building method, we were able to turn out a large number of enclosures in a short amount of time.

Needless to say, Johnson Controls was very happy with the end product. They were more than satisfied with the overall costs the project amounted to, noting that the modular method was highly cost-effective. Also, they were very impressed with the clean, modern look of the modular enclosures; it was just the sort of style they had in mind. In addition, after the initial delivery, Johnson Controls decided to make some changes to the equipment and we were able to respond immediately, write up a new quote, and implement the necessary changes right away.

Finally, we asked Johnson Controls if they would recommend our company to others and they said they would do it “without hesitation.” They also mentioned that they’d be working with us in the future the next time they require a quality solution for their building needs. We couldn’t be happier with their answer.

Mobile guard houses ready to ship in a moment’s notice.

For many companies, having a flexible security option can be highly advantageous. Whether you need guard houses in a hurry, or you move locations frequently, or you are a security company yourself and are looking for a portable guardhouse, mobile security units are a great choice and are highly convenient.

You may be aware that school districts everywhere are still feeling the after-effects (or the ongoing effects, depending on your opinion) of the global recession. Districts are cutting back on expenses to cope with ever-shrinking budgets. 

Many schools are turning to modular construction for their classroom-building needs and for good reason. Modular buildings cut costs with efficient and time-saving construction methods that also minimize site disruption (which is a must for an educational environment).

How is this possible? Modular buildings are manufactured in components inside factories, where resources are used more efficiently and construction time is shortened. Most of the construction occurs offsite, leaving the build site clean and quiet so that children can continue to learn effectively, even as the new buildings are being built.

On top of these many unique advantages to the method of modular construction, finished modular buildings are sturdy, well-insulated, high-quality structures that can accomodate the ideal learning environment, and are a huge improvement over the trailer units that price-minded schools have turned to in the past.

Allied Modular itself offers modular educational classrooms that can be configured to meet the needs of any educational program. What’s more, these modular buildings can easily be altered, expanded, or relocated to account for the ever-changing student body of a given school.

As documented here on our modular building blog, this trend is not going to slow down any time soon; in fact there are signs that it is growing tremendously. It is not much of a surprise, considering the revolutionary nature of modular construction and its methods!

Luckily, construction technology is always advancing, and today’s modular construction can be used to great advantage, such as providing for a population that finds themselves in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

The great thing about modular construction is that it can provide sturdy and well-insulated buildings for a higher level of comfort all in a short amount of time.  

Modular construction can be used for all sorts of applications to address disaster-related situations, such as a modular bridge to assist with flooding.

Using flexible and efficient modular technology, we can now address even adverse conditions with better construction methods. Rebuilding an office and getting a business back online, or sheltering people affected by a disaster, or even building a bridge can be made all the easier with modular construction. Parts can be manufactured and shipped to the build site and installed much more quickly than with traditional construction methods.

Better living through technology, certainly!

Ever since we have been experiencing troubles with the economy, builders and consumers alike have been looking for a more affordable, efficient alternative to traditional construction.

Modular construction has been growing exponentially in the commercial sector. Businesses have been feeling a financial pinch due to lowered demand in the markets and other unfavorable circumstances, so they’ve been trying to figure out how to cut costs and make their own processes more efficient. Modular construction is not only faster, cost effective, and efficient as compared to traditional construction, but non-invasive and less environmentally intensive due to its factory-manufactured nature.

Modular buildings are manufactured in components in a factory and then assembled on site, cutting down on business downtime. On top of that, modular buildings are highly adaptable and portable, so that businesses can save on construction costs if they need to alter their workplace or even move to another one, which is a must in this increasingly frenetic world economy.

Modular construction is taking off in the housing sector as well. Consumers, due to being strapped for cash and resources, are demanding smaller, easier to maintain, less energy intensive houses that can be built quickly and affordably by modular construction companies.

The building methodology itself is rapidly becoming the dominant mode of construction in many sectors. The construction industry can only benefit from this development. Modular buildings contribute to a faster, more efficient business atmosphere by streamlining the construction process, making it easier for businesses to invest in infrastructure.

Though the economy has been hard on many businesses and consumers, its hardships have definitely pushed innovators everywhere to adapt to a challenging environment, and we will surely be stronger in the long run.

This is true as well, since legos are essentially universal blocks that have been designed to fit into one another. And so they can be combined in a number of ways to make whatever shape you desire.

Modular buildings are thus made out of modular components that fit into one another: modular wall panels and universal framing systems to be specific. Communicating with the client, we design plans for a layout and then manufacture the required components, and then ship it all off to the build site where they are snapped into place. Just like that.

Though the modular buildings mentioned in the article are some sort of concrete modular construction. Our modular buildings are composed of panels with polystyrene cores and vinyl facings which are joined together by aluminum framing systems and then we add whatever components are additionally needed to make the building come to life such as ceilings, flooring, roofing, HVAC, electrical, furniture, windows, you name it.

Very cool technology, but don’t just take our word for it. See for yourself! Have you ever experienced the joy of constructing your own little building out of legos? Now you can construct your own modular building out of modular components for your business needs.

When thinking about the value of your product, you can express its value on two levels: first of all, there’s the positive value of the product itself. What can the product do for the customer? What merits does it have? On another level, you can talk about the consequences of choosing an inferior product, which in the end will result in negative value. You can use the negative value of a competing product to illustrate the potential misfortune, and accompanying pain, that could come with choosing an inferior product, which could have an effect of enhancing the appearance of your own product.

So considering positive value, what can you say about your product? Does it save the customer time? Does it accomplish a task for the customer? Is it more attractive, durable, or even socially desirable? Are these things something that the customer would consider paying for?You can use all of these benefits as a sort of launch pad to start explaining the value of your product.

What about the negative value of a competing product? Many times, the lowest priced product can cause the greatest amount of pain, due to inconsistencies in the product or bad craftsmanship. For example, what happens when you buy cheap sunglasses? Well, they usually fall apart! How about cheap shoes? Same, they fall apart. Cheap food? It might not taste very good. And so on.  

Of course, low prices don’t always indicate these things; your product could even feature the lowest price as yet another advantage. But again, this won’t always be the case, so you need to be ready to sell.

Using these means to illustrate the advantages of your product can dramatically increase the chances of a successful sale. You just have to know what the customer is looking for, and know how to persuade the customer that your product offers just that.

As companies look into how they can improve their facilities for customers, and as they look into actual surveys they conduct with customers on preferred service improvements, more and more companies are finding that the dressing room has become an important feature in the retail environment.

In one study, as discussed in this article, customers are 71% more likely to purchase a product if they enter a dressing room to try something on. Many studies  are showing that the really serious customers are usually the ones using the dressing rooms, and so there is a general suggestion that a retail company’s dressing rooms be up to date, comfortable, secure, and functional.

More and more retailers are looking for different ways to improve the shopping experience when it comes to dressing rooms as well, such as installing social media-compatible screens and mirrors to communicate with friends before purchase, or enlarging the size of the dressing room, or installing service buttons.

At Allied Modular we have become more interested in dressing rooms as well, utilizing our modular wall system to function as an easy-to-install, affordable dressing room option for retailers looking to open or renovate. Definitely a trend to watch if you are in the clothing industry.

The first article has to do with how modular design benefits those looking to build central utility facilities, or facilities that produce utilities such as chilled air, heat, compressed air, and steam for a larger complex like an academic institution or medical complex. The article does a good job of laying out the benefits of modular design, such as increased efficiency and adaptability, while arguing that modular design can help infrastructure development in myriad ways, and consequently our society. The article is of longer length, but well worth a read for those interested in modular design from an engineering perspective.  

The second article deals with the U.S. Navy’s increased demand for the flexibility and adaptability of a modular ship design, explaining how modular ship designs are more efficient and cost effective.

One underlying theme we can take away from reading all of these articles is that the very nature of material change is evolving. Previously, we would have new iterations of a product, making the previous one obsolete and destined for the trash bin. Now, we see that technological change will come through the components themselves, and we can gradually update a building or ship design by replacing older parts over a longer period of time without having to waste all of the energy of throwing something out and building something completely new. By compartmentalizing change itself, we are making our own processes more efficient, and cutting down on unnecessary waste.

Quite a development!