mining-site-fabric-building

The Crucial Role of Fabric Buildings on Mine Sites

Mining operations, whether for coal, precious metals, or minerals, require efficient, durable, and adaptable infrastructure. One innovative solution gaining traction in the mining industry is the use of fabric buildings. These structures offer numerous advantages, making them an excellent choice for the demanding environment of mine sites.

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construction training centre

Construction Training Building for Liuna Local 607 Ontario

Construction Training Centre

construction training building

In the fast-paced industry of construction, it’s vital to meet the requirements of a job site.  Liuna Local 607 required an industrial building whose dual purpose was for a training centre and equipment storage. A recent 46’x80’ FastCover Industrial Building was erected on concrete blocks, complete with 2-14’x14’ steel sectional overhead doors and 2-man doors. This training building provides a durable and versatile space that can be used for a variety of purposes. This structure allows the customer to complete training indoors and not have to worry about delays due to weather. Additionally, the structure allows for the safe storage of equipment when not in use, protecting it from the elements and extending its lifespan. The inclusion of a large graphic on the side of the construction training building not only enhances brand recognition but also provides advertising opportunities for the customer. This FastCover is used as a training center for Liuna Local 607- Thunder Bay, ON.

Andy Nieweglowski from Liuna Local 607 provided positive feedback regarding their experience

with FastCover. “The main use of our FastCover building is for training indoors without exposure to the weather. Also, we store all of our motive powered equipment indoors when we are not training. We are extremely satisfied with the product and service we have received. 10 out of 10!”

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Storage Building for Maintaining and Servicing Trailers: How FastCover Adapts to Your Unique Building Needs

Maintaining and Servicing Intermodal Trailers

One recent project showcases a FastCover 60’ wide by 60’ long Straight Leg Series mounted on shipping containers, the building acts as a machine shed and is used for the maintenance and service of intermodal trailers. While the exterior of the building looks very much like a standard fabric building, the interior features: 

  • Insulation
  • Heated concrete pad
  • Electric heaters
  • Lighting
  • Shop space
  • Offices
  • Lunchroom 
  • Additional storage 

This is an incredibly versatile, cost-effective alternative to a permanent structure and a fully functional facility that also has the ability to be relocated when the client’s business grows or the long term project is completed. 

Expanding Applications for FastCover Buildings

FastCover buildings aren’t just for cold storage—they’ve become an integral part of operations in industries ranging from agriculture to oil and gas and beyond. Commonly used to shelter and protect valuable equipment from harsh weather, our buildings are also now being adapted for unique purposes, such as

  • light manufacturing
  • event venues and exhibition halls
  • Indoor sports facilities
  • military and disaster relief structures
  • on-site safety & training
  • and much more.

FastCover has the ability to adapt to your specific needs such as a fully insulated and heated maintenance facility.

More than Just Cold Storage

All FastCover steel components are fabricated and powder coated in-house to provide superior quality. All fabric is high density woven polyethylene with an ultraviolet inhibitor built into the membrane to increase longevity. FastCover is CWB (Canadian Welding Bureau) and CSA A660-10 certified through annual audits. 

FastCover builds hundreds of fabric covered buildings every year. The list of applications for our buildings continues to grow, and we pride ourselves in building a quality product, installing with our own team and taking on each project with the attention to detail that our customers expect. Fabric structures are most commonly used for equipment storage purposes in commercial and industrial applications, and our structures are ideal for the storage of various equipment and products in the Agricultural, Oil & Gas and Mining sectors. 

At FastCover we are more than cold storage. Contact us today with your requirements and we will be more than happy to assist. [/vc_column_text]

industrial storage fabric structure

Maximizing Efficiency and Space: Why Fabric Buildings are Ideal for Industrial Storage

When it comes to industrial storage, maximizing efficiency and space is a top priority for businesses. Traditional brick-and-mortar structures often have limitations, such as high construction costs, lengthy installation times, and inflexible designs. However, there is a solution that offers versatility, cost-effectiveness, and rapid construction: fabric buildings. In this article, we will explore the advantages of fabric buildings for industrial storage, discuss how to choose the right one and provide maintenance tips to ensure their longevity.

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equipment-storage-building-50SLSS

How Fabric Buildings Can Help the Mining Industry Reduce Carbon Footprint

Fabric buildings can be beneficial to the mining industry in reducing their carbon footprint by providing a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional mining structures. For example, fabric structures can be used as an alternative to permanent mining structures, such as storage facilities, workshops, or offices.

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Fabric Buildings: Ideal storage or warehousing solutions for mining sites

The mining industry is tough, but it also requires a great deal of innovation to keep up with the changing needs. With harsh weather conditions and hard-to-reach places, there are plenty of challenges for mine managers, from setting up office space in an abandoned shaft to getting heavy machinery down access holes before they’re frozen solid.

A more cost-effective way would be erecting structures such as portable fabric buildings, which can be easily broken down when not needed (saving money). Building a traditional structure can be another operation nightmare, and this is where fabric buildings come in. They offer several advantages over traditional structures regarding storage, warehousing or temporary office spaces for mining operations.

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Industrial Storage Warehouse

Adding On to an Industrial Warehouse

FastCover Grows with Your Project!

Your business is constantly evolving. Plans today can change tomorrow dependent on your customer’s needs or a potentially volatile marketplace. A structure on your property may be used as an industrial warehouse today and become a light manufacturing or materials staging facility tomorrow.  A structure may be in the right location but can be prohibitive to growth tomorrow. These are only a couple of the challenges and changes our clients are faced with on a regular basis that have a significant impact on the positive growth of their businesses.

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equipment-storage-building-50SLSS

Fully Portable Equipment Storage Building

FastCover recently erected the 50’ wide Straight Leg Super Series portable structure for a prominent crown utility company in Western Manitoba, Canada to be used as an equipment storage building. The building was required to be fully portable as the property is currently being rented by the Utility Company and it will be required to be re-located at some point in time. Although the FastCover 50 SLSS is portable it is imperative that the structure and foundation meet National Building Code for that specific site, which it does. FastCover engineers ensured that the storage structure exceeded snow, wind and rain loads for the area and also that the foundation met all the necessary uplift, downforce and horizontal load requirements. With the stamped engineering documents in hand, FastCover started the fabrication process. The FastCover 50 SLSS is unique in that it provides a tremendous amount of cubic volume inside the structure. With 10’ high exterior straight legs, equipment, pallets and commercial racking can be placed in close proximity to the sides allowing for great use of space. In this particular application incorporating concrete blocks as the foundation of the storage building allows for even greater use by lifting the structure even higher. Incorporating a steel non-insulated overhead door with a chain hoist ensures that the weather elements stay where they should be… outside.

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fabric building insulation liner

Insulating Your New FastCover Building

Many of our FastCover clients wish to insulate their new FastCovers so that they can store or maintain equipment, protect inventory in or do some light manufacturing. There are a number of ways that this procedure can be done with various aspects to heat retention. Rigid board or fiberglass are the most common methods although spray insulation has been used. Spray insulation, although an excellent source of heat retention does render the high density polyethylene fabric to become permanently rigid. In light of the fact that many of our structures are portable they are often disassembled and re-erected at another location, making spray insulation a somewhat less desirable option.

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Fabric Buildings Save Maintenance and Utility Costs for Storage Buildings

Reducing maintenance and utility costs associated with your storage buildings is a smart way to improve the operational efficiency of your business operations.  Making a smart purchase decision includes not only taking into account the upfront capital cost of the building but also the on-going operational costs of the building.

Save on Construction Costs/Time

Setting aside the capital outlay for the building, there are a number savings that a FastCover fabric building will provide which may not be immediately obvious.  The first is the time and expense saved to erect the building.  Because the building is shipped in modular components, on-site construction time is drastically reduced where buildings can be completed sometimes in days as compared to weeks or months with buildings which must be completely constructed on-site.  This also means your building is finished and ready for use in your business sooner.

Save on Your Lighting Bill

Now consider the post-construction state of your building, as this is expected to last for many years.  You will have recurring monthly expenses for utilities and maintenance on any style of building.  A FastCover fabric building can help to reduce a number of monthly expenses due to the nature of the materials used to manufacture the building.  The most obvious difference between a fabric building and steel or wood construction building is the use of a fabric cover.  This fabric cover offers numerous advantages.  The first is that it allows a tremendous amount of natural daylight to pass through the cover to the building’s interior, virtually eliminating the need for daytime artificial lighting.  Even on cloudy days, there is often ample light to perform most activities inside the building without flicking on the light switch and having the power meter spinning.  In early morning hours and nighttime when we no longer have the free benefit of the suns light, artificial lights can be used more efficiently as the bright white underside of the cover reflects and disperses light so that typically fewer light fixtures are needed.

Less Heat/Cold Exchange

Unlike a metal roofed building often used for storage buildings, a fabric building cover will not radiate the heat and cold of the extreme weather conditions we experience.  Combine this with a cover that is effectively a one-piece sealed membrane and there will be substantially less air through cracks and perforations traditional buildings tend to have.

Maintenance Costs on Your Roof

Some building styles require that the roofing and siding materials such as roof tar or shingles and exterior wall paint must be frequently maintained or replaced on a periodic basis.  With a FastCover fabric building chosen for your storage building, there is no need to paint or shingle the roof and walls.  The covers should be checked for tension periodically but are otherwise virtually self maintaining.  Dirt and dust have a difficult time adhering to the polyethylene fabric and normally wind and rain are enough to blow off or wash off any that does manage to sit on the covers.

The building’s steel superstructure is post-weld powder-coat painted in our own paint booth.  The extremely smooth finish helps to prevent cover wear and protects the steel framework from rust and corrosion.

Value You Can Re-Use

One cost saving factor that few other storage buildings can match is the ability to take your investment with you if your business circumstance result in a move of locations.  A FastCover building is designed with an exclusive continuous base rail frame system which affords it a tremendous range of options in regards to foundations.  So flexible are these options that the foundation itself may be temporary and if the need arises, a FastCover storage building can be disassembled, building and foundation moved, and re-erected at the new site.

Note: link to this article from commercial equipment storage

Temporary Construction Warehouse

In what instances does purchasing a fabric building make sense for you or your business?  This is hard to say, but a fabric building from Fast Cover isn’t the best building for all building uses.  Fabric buildings do not make good multi-floor office buildings.  Fabric buildings do not make good houses or good apartment buildings.  But when you are putting together your construction plan for these types of projects, consider how a fabric building as a Temporary Construction Warehouse can be an invaluable asset to your plan.

Protect Your Inventory

For a large-scale building project, you likely have a large-scale timeline, stretching into months, or more.  During your construction project, you have many types of materials arriving on-site, some for immediate use, some for future stages.  Similarly, you have many types of equipment on-site, some are needed continuously and some less frequently.  With the climate we experience here, your materials and equipment may be exposed to UV rays from sunlight, wind, dust, rain, snow, and hail, maybe even all within the same week.  With a temporary construction warehouse, you can have a secure on-site storage facility to protect your inventory and equipment from weather damage, theft, and accidental damage.

Location Flexibility

Fast Cover fabric buildings are built with their unique continuous base rail system.  This feature results in incredible flexibility in both where and how buildings can be erected.  The foundation options range from ground mounts, screw anchors, temporary concrete blocks, and more.  In fact, the whole building, foundation, steel trusses, fabric cover, end walls, and doors can all be assembled, disassembled, and moved to the next project location.  This also makes the location of the temporary construction warehouse an easier decision to make as you have more flexibility to locate it where it is most suits your needs.

Rapid Assembly/Disassembly Time

One of your concerns may be the additional time needed to erect a warehouse only to have to remove it at the end of the project.  But consider how having a temporary warehouse on site will give you the flexibility of scheduling material deliveries and eliminate delays due to any weather damaged materials.  Now also consider that many Fast Cover buildings, which are shipped in modular components, can be erected with a week, often less, including placement of foundations such as concrete blocks.

A Fast Cover building as a Temporary Construction Warehouse will pay for itself many times over as you use it for future construction sites.