General Industry Portable Structures Projects

Amtrak

During the winter of 2006, Rubb Buildings worked with Nason Construction and Amtrak’s designers to develop a temporary vehicle repair facility. The structure, measuring 130’ (39.63m) x 180’ (54.88m) with 21’ (6.4m) sidewalls, is located in Wilmington, Delaware. This facility can service up to 12 rail engines at one time and the structure is erected over four existing railroad tracks for easy entrance and exit.

AEPCO

AEPCO Marine is a shipyard located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. They were in need of a new parts storage facility. AEPCO looked at using a metal building but found that the requirements where not feasible with their system. AEPCO then contacted Rubb and discovered that the project was perfectly suited for a Rubb Building. During the course of negotiations, several other uses for Rubb structures were discovered and upon signing the contract for the part warehouse, Rubb not only received the contract for the BVE, but also received contracts for two THA Shelters and three THX shelters. Since that time AEPCO is looking at other areas to use the Rubb structures.

The part warehouse measures 50’ (15.24m) x 125’ (38.11m) with a 19.7’ (6m) sidewall. This structure was designed to a 20 psf ground snow load, 120 mph 3 second gust wind speed.

UNC Wilmington Gets New Student Cafeteria

The University of North Carolina's Wilmington campus needed a temporary structure to serve as a cafeteria while the school's Student Union Building underwent a major renovation. Rubb Buildings was contacted by the University's architectural firm who knew of Rubb’s versatile structures and its ability to quickly turn projects around. Rubb’s solution involved two structures. The first was a 40’ (12m) x 66.67’ (20.33m) BVE with 16.4’ (5m) sidewalls.

The second building was a small BVR structure measuring 30’ (9.15m) x 6’ (2.74m) with a 12’ (3.66m) sidewall, and served as a connection tunnel to join the large Rubb structure to the existing brick Student Union Building. Rubb engineers and site personnel were able to work around the masonry structure’s various overhangs thus eliminating costly building modifications.

Rubb -- Building Customer Loyalty

It can be very gratifying when a company that you have worked with previously is so pleased with the product and quality of service provided that they return when new projects are required and even more so when this happens on more than one occasion. This was such as case with Rubb Buildings and Bridisco, the UK's largest independent electrical distributor. Bridisco first became aware of Rubb Buildings after reading information on storage concepts in the trade magazines.

In total Rubb has supplied Bridisco with three buildings, all of which are used for product storage and distribution. Rubb's first involvement with Bridisco was in 1996 to supply a 25m (82') wide x 60m (196.8') long x 7m (23') leg BVE building with a special loading dock and canopy. This was followed up in 2000 when further storage capacity was required. The 24m (78.7') span x 68m (223') long x 7m (23') leg, BVR was designed with a special angled gable end to link to the original building.

Bridisco's latest addition, a special BVR type building measuring 18m (59') wide x 60m (196.8') long x 7m (23') tall, as well as having a loading dock covered by a canopy, has a specially designed 6m (19.7') x 15m (49.2') recess creating an "L" shaped building. This unique construction area was in answer to the client's request for a building that could provide the maximum storage area possible on the land available. Ray Taylor of Bridisco said, "Due to the expansion of our company and the increased number of deliveries which we have into our main distribution centre in White Hart Lane, our main yard area gets very congested and, therefore, we had to be very careful in terms of designing a building that would allow a sufficient turning circle, especially for the larger 40ft type vehicles." The three linked buildings provide Bridisco with a total of 2772m² (29,827SF) of storage space.

Rubb works closely with their customers and can specifically engineer the construction of the buildings to suit most needs due to the flexibility of the Rubb building design and excellent quality of the engineers.

Other major benefits of Rubb structures are their speed of delivery and erection, minimal foundation requirements and complete relocatability or extension at any time. This portability provides several advantages over conventional structures and allows a quick response to changing circumstances.

"Rubb is certainly one of the most professional companies that we have dealt with," commented Ray Taylor "It is extremely good to deal with a company who keep their promises, especially in terms of time scale and the quality of their work."

Rubb joins forces with Rolls Royce

Versatile and durable are two words used repeatedly when describing the structures manufactured by the Rubb Organization.

When Rubb Buildings UK was recently asked by Rolls Royce Aeroengines Ltd., of Nottingham, to produce two structures for housing a $3 million turbulence control screen (TCS), versatility and durability were key factors. Working within a very tight time frame, the Rubb UK team designed, manufactured and delivered two buildings in just eight weeks.

The first structure, an 80' (24m) long by 54' (16.4m) high stationary building, with a 62' (19m) span, was erected on a specially designed reinforced concrete foundation. The building is now being used to house and maintain the TCS used in the testing of Rolls Royce aeroengines used in both military and domestic aircraft.

As part of the test, engines must be subjected to the "smooth air" which is usually encountered at altitudes of thousands of meters. To create the smooth air effect, the engine is situated on a test bed with the TCS (which looks like a huge golf ball) located over the front. The air, which is then drawn through the engine, replicates the smooth air that is vital for "real life" testing.

The second Rubb structure is slightly smaller. Measuring 40' (12m) long by 42' (13m) high, with a 46' (14m) span, this structure sits on a trolley and is wheeled over the TCS when testing is interrupted by rain or high winds, or when testing has been completed.

When selecting Rubb Buildings to undertake the work, Rolls Royce looked specifically at Rubb's proven track record for custom design, engineering and fabrication.

The German associates of Rolls Royce were so impressed with the Rubb product that they are considering having Rubb UK provide similar structures for a number of sites in Germany.

Speaking of the success of the Rolls Royce project, Ray Colby, Sales Manager of Rubb Buildings, said: "We are delighted with the two structures at the Hucknall testing site."

"We were chosen by Rolls Royce because of our experience in constructing similar large buildings for organizations such as the Ford Motor Company and Swan Hunter Shipyard and they are very pleased with the work undertaken."

"RUBB PASSES THE TEST"
Automotive Test Track Cover

Rubb was approached by Aristeo Construction Company of Livonia, Michigan to help on a project at Chrysler Corporation's Sterling Heights, Michigan assembly plant.

Chrysler needed to cover a recently installed vehicle validation test track to permit year round testing during inclement weather. Rubb met the challenge by customizing one of its standard products to create a structure that was installed at a substantially lower cost than other options considered by the auto manufacturer.

The unique structure was designed in the shape of the letter "J" to coincide with the shape of the test track. The structure is initially 42' wide, widens to 60' and is curved to a thirty-eight foot (38') radius as it follows the U-turn of the test track. It is over 750 feet in overall length.

Rubb structures feature a well-engineered steel frame which is hot-dipped galvanized after fabrication. A PVC coated polyester fabric cover is tensioned over the frame to provide an excellent weathertight shell. The white translucent fabric on the roof allows natural daylight to pass through and fully illuminate the interior that promotes a safe and efficient work environment.

The project was further complicated by the fact that Aristeo had to install the test track cover without impacting auto production schedules. Installation was begun in late April 1995, during a shutdown, and was started up again in late June and completed in July 1995.

In the early stages of construction, the partially completed cover was hit by a substantial storm with winds of 60+ mph with no damage reported.

Greg Sorrentino, Project Manager for Aristeo Construction, commenting on the project, stated that the Rubb structure provided an excellent solution to the needs of the project presented by Chrysler. In particular, he pointed out that the Rubb structure, with its straight sidewalls, mimicked conventional pre-engineered steel buildings making the installation of doors and other accessories much easier than with other structures that had been considered.

This successful project has generated interest by other car manufacturers with similar needs and Rubb has provided numerous additional track covers with the largest being over 1,100' in length.

The RUBB organization, with production facilities in the United States, Great Britain and Norway, is recognized as a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of relocatable structures.

Rubb Solves Storage Problem For Motor Manufacturer

As part of its ongoing relationship with the Ford Motor Company, Rubb Buildings has helped solve a storage problem at the motor giant's die storage facility in Maumee, Ohio.

Rubb, Inc. has worked on many projects with the Ford Motor Company, therefore, when the Maumee division was faced with the task of storing the huge metal dies (templates) used for automotive parts, it automatically turned to the Sanford, Maine based company for assistance.

Working within a very tight time-frame of eight weeks, Rubb designed, manufactured, and delivered an 80' (24.38m) x 200' (60.96m) BVE building with a 19.7' (6m) sidewall that was erected on a 4' (1.21m) high concrete reinforced wall. A local general contractor erected the warehouse structure with the assistance of a Rubb factory trained technician. The warehouse structure is composed of a structurally engineered, hot-dipped, galvanized steel frame covered with a high tenacity, flame retardant, PVC coated polyester membrane. Due to the versatility of the Rubb product, the structure was easily interfaced to the end of an existing metal-clad building.

Although the structure is manufactured from non-combustible materials, and is being used to house non-combustible components, a state-of-the-art sprinkler system was installed, thus ensuring adherence to the Ford Motor Company's stringent health and safety requirements.

John Poulin, Sales Manager, who coordinated the eight week project said: "As a company, Rubb, Inc. is no stranger to working with major automotive companies - in fact, Detroit is more or less my second home town." John continued: "The Maumee die storage warehouse is just the latest in a long line of projects undertaken for the Ford Motor Company. In fact, we have the opportunity of returning to the site shortly to either assemble another structure or perhaps extend the one just erected - such versatility is the beauty of the Rubb product."

Inquire now to learn how Rubb industrial buildings can meet your industrial storage requirements.