Pre-engineered structures have grown in popularity as a result of the numerous advantages they provide. It’s easy to put together, cheap to make, and can be taken apart and repurposed over and again. In addition to this, pre-engineered structures are fire resistant. Metals have been used in building construction from at least the late 18th century, according to the information now available. Fires in cotton mills in the United Kingdom were common, and the damage they caused was often irreparable. As a result, towards the close of the eighteenth century, cast-iron columns and frames were the norm in mill construction.
As time went on, business owners began to see the advantages of using metal, such as the potential to save money and the metal’s resistance to fire damage. Thus, demand for metal buildings grew significantly.
The beginning of the 19th century was a time of great change
In the beginning of the nineteenth century and for the rest of the century, architects and builders primarily used iron to make frameworks for their structures. In the early days of metal construction, costs were expensive and labour was scarce, thus new ideas were few and far between. That was the extent of metal building progress in the nineteenth century. After they were completed, rolling iron beams were used to build the Copper Union Building in New York City in 1859. From that point on, word spread about them.
Henry Bessemer’s discovery of a means to burn carbon and silicon out of pig iron and turn it into steel was the second great development in the history of metal building construction. With each new development in iron and steel production, architects were able to take a more creative approach to building design.
Building systems made of metal have evolved during the past century.
This century has seen a dramatic shift in the metal building industry. The following are some noteworthy historical events:
A Garage for Your Model T
The Ford Model T ushered in a new era for tiny automobiles by serving as a model for the rest of the industry. Everybody wanted a home, and every home needed a garage! Because of this, Butler Manufacturing developed a metal framework that is ready for human use from the ground up. The elegantly curved building, constructed from corrugated metal sheets, became the brand’s defining offering. Many metal constructions were influenced by it in the future.
1917 – Pre-engineered metal structures
Ten commercial building designs were pre-engineered by the Cleveland, Ohio-based Austin Company and published as part of a product catalogue. When this was done, the building business was completely transformed! This meant that orders could be dispatched in a matter of weeks and didn’t need to be individually designed after World War II.
For hundreds of years, metal buildings have been in use. It was during World War II, when the aluminium industry was thriving and metal planes were being constructed at an unprecedented rate, that they first became popular. Because of the fast construction of Quonset huts, they made a comeback after World War II.
Pre-engineered metal buildings have a short history, which we’ve just covered. EPACK Prefab has 24 years of production experience with this product. Request a free estimate from us today!
