Modular Building Info

The Company
FBO Air is a company that sells and repairs aircraft for individual and corporate clients. They operate out of a hangar at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in Avoca, Pennsylvania.

The Problem
The traditionally built office area the company was using in the hangar was in disrepair and out of date, taking up too much square footage and providing too little usable space. It also wasn’t providing the professional atmosphere that their customers expected when they visited FBO Air for a purchase or repair. The entire hangar was in need of an update, so the company made the decision to remodel at the request of the company’s President.

How Porta-King Helped
A big goal of the remodeling process was to determine an efficient solution that provided usable, professional office space, without taking up too much room in the hangar. They priced traditional and modular options and decided Porta-King provided the best option and the most efficient installation process. So they chose to build modular with Porta-King.

Porta-King proposed and built a mezzanine with modular office space on the upper level, and a partially enclosed modular area below. The idea was to provide a professional place for business, as well as a usable space for the mechanics. The upper level of the structure was fitted with FAA office room, management offices and a parts room. Each room has individual heating and air conditioning controls. Carpet and shelving was installed in each. The area left unenclosed on the bottom level was used for tool storage and work space.

Everyone involved was happy with the result, and the president of FBO Air was brought in to review the project. He was thrilled with the product, the price and the speed in which it was installed. The project was finished in the third week of January ’07 and FBO Air has received numerous compliments and inquiries about their modular construction solution from customers and others who have come through and noticed the new space.

The Results
Professionalism – FBO Air has a professional appearance and presence inside their facility to support the image that their customers hold for the company.

Versatility – A big reason the company decided to go with Porta-King is the versatility of the product. Modular building products can be easily uninstalled and moved to accommodate any necessary changes in the future.

Cost-Effective Solution – FBO Air certainly saved both time and money in choosing to implement Porta-King’s modular solution. But because modular buildings are legally considered equipment rather than real estate, the purchase can also be depreciated off the books and save them tax revenue.

The Client:

Camcraft, based in Hanover Park, IL, is a manufacturer of high-end automotive and hydraulic components. According to the company, its niche is in highly engineered components and assemblies on state-of-the-art and emerging technologies.

The Client’s Need:
After adding 28,000 square feet to its facility, Camcraft needed a fast, cost-efficient solution of installing offices throughout its manufacturing floor. Camcraft required the four offices in order to fulfill three criteria:

 Performance usage: to promote an optimal working environment for Camcraft employees.

 Engineering usage: to provide facilities for Camcraft’s manufacturing processes.

 Quality control labs usage: to create controlled environments in laboratories.

Classic Modular Systems, a Naperville, IL-based distributor of modular office and plant environments, recommended Porta-King’s Versa-King system to Camcraft, based on the units’ quality and affordability.

How Porta-King Helped
In January and February 2006, Camcraft installed four 3” Versa-King units by Porta-King to create the foreman’s office and three quality control labs. This load-bearing model creates a controlled environment for production use, as well as provides shelter for Camcraft’s expensive inspections equipment. One Versa-King unit also encloses the bead blast room- where glass beads are sprayed onto components- which prevents dust from entering the manufacturing floor.

Due to the versatility of the Versa-King, Camcraft is able to increase or decrease the units’ sizes according to future needs. Camcraft can easily add, modify or remove electrical and other wiring as needed. The R-13 insulation rating of the wall panels’ solid polystyrene core also provides an excellent sound barrier between the labs, office and manufacturing floor. 

The Results
The Versa-King units manufactured by Porta-King accomplished several important things for Camcraft:

 The company now uses three quality control labs for in-process inspections, which occur during the manufacturing process.

 These special facilities maintain Camcraft’s highly controlled environment.

 The Versa-King units facilitate superior plant supervision by providing Camcraft’s foreman with an office on the manufacturing floor.

Porta-King has been a leader in custom-designed, prefabricated buildings since 1969. The company manufacturers a full line of modular wall systems and enclosures, including single and two-story designs, as well as structural steel mezzanines, preassembled exterior buildings and shelters. For more information, visit www.portaking.com or call 800-284-5346.