Steel Price Fluctuations

Steel Price Fluctuations

It’s no secret that construction costs are on the rise, with the upswing in the global economy, an increase in the number of building projects, and an ever increasing global market, there is a direct correlation between the above mentioned factors and supply vs. demand. 

Globally, there has been a decrease in the availability of raw materials due to not only demand, but also the decreased output capabilities of some major suppliers.

How does all this affect your building project?

• In the past, price increases were most often forecast with ample time for owners to make smart decisions in advance on when and how to move forward with their projects, as of lately the volatile market is experiencing literally overnight price updates that makes it complicated for decision makers to anticipate this as the new normal and be ready to act in order to protect their budget. 

A 10% increase in raw steel prices on a $100,000.00 project is and additional $10,000.00 immediate cost. As your steel supplier, we do everything in our power to assess the markets and communicate closely with our factories to stay ahead of the pricing curve, and we always work with our clients to minimize the risk to your bottom line with timely information.

• The size and design of your project is obviously another key factor affected by price increases. A project that initially uses 150 tons of steel may be a candidate for redesign with critical thinking (value engineering) that allows for a deduction in overall steel while maintaining the desired footprint and structural integrity. Every one of our structures goes through rigorous design process that allows for maximum efficiency that translates into cost savings for our clients.

• Price increases on steel can have a dramatic effect on funding, especially for pending projects about to begin. Most lending institutions insist on the upfront costs to be identified, and it is often an additional negotiation with the financing institution when the planned budget increases, another reason to make sure order of your project is placed with a fixed price right after funding and deposits are secured.

• The price fluctuations of steel also affects the price of the cladding & roofing materials and the accessories of the metal buildings. Roofing and cladding sheets and insulated panels are also made of steel, therefore, the price increase in the steel primarily affects the cladding material costs.

Conclusion

Price fluctuations are the “new normal” in today’s economic times, at least for the foreseeable future. With that said, building with steel is, and will always be the best choice for commercial construction in both time and money. With a proper planning, a good understanding the markets, along with an experienced supplier like Tekmetsan, you can manage all the risks and deliver a success story.

We work hard for our clients to achieve success in every project we are a part of.

Building faster and smarter steel prefab buildings

Building faster and smarter steel buildings

Tekmetsan Steel Buildings save time and money in many ways.

Naturally, faster construction is convenient for consumers and their building projects. However, time is even more critical for commercial or industrial construction.

For the commercial builder, the quicker a structure is completed, the less spent on builder’s time and labour.

For the commercial client, the faster their building is completed, the sooner it opens for business and earns a return on the investment.

A Tekmetsan prefabricated building saves time in various ways;

Save Time When Ordering Tekmetsan Buildings

Working with someone who really knows both the product and construction is critical.

Tekmetsan’s metal building specialists bring years of hands-on construction experience and an extensive knowledge of the Tekmetsan steel building system to the table. They have a complete picture of your project specifics before they issue you a metal building quote.

Our exceptional technical staff will answer your every question.  They also share valuable insights and ideas for streamlining or improving your design.

 

Our Design Software Saves Time on a Prefabricated Building

Steel is a strong, consistent, and predictable building material.  Therefore, it is the ideal material for state-of-the-art computer aided design software.

By making optimal use of steel’s inherent strength, sophisticated steel engineering software significantly reduces design time for TEKMETSAN metal prefab buildings.

Our 3d structural analysis software also ensures the structural integrity of the framing throughout your Tekmetsan structure.

In addition, Tekmetsan’s software quickly and efficiently generates manufacturing drawings for the individual framing components of our steel prefab building kits.

That also speeds up the manufacturing process for your structure.

Fewer Framing Pieces in Our Metal Building Kits

Steel has the strongest strength-to-weight ratio of any building material.

Design and engineering software works together to create the most efficient use of steel.

Consequently, the framing requires far fewer framing components for a very solid, durable structure.

Tekmetsan Steel Prefab Buildings Ship Quickly

TEKMETSAN typically ships metal prefab building kits in four to seven weeks, depending on the size and complexity of your building project.

TEKMETSAN Steel Prefab Building Kits Ship Everything Together

Options ordered with your framing package arrive with your steel framing package.

Tekmetsan prefabricated building options include:

• Insulated and non-insulated panels
• Gutters and downspouts
• Skylights and wall lights
• Vents
• Stairs
• Mezzanines and Canopies
Therefore, you will not be waiting around for various shipments to arrive from other sources.

Our Metal Prefab Buildings Go Up Fast

In a Tekmetsan prefabricated building, all the structural components arrive from the factory ready to assemble.  There is no need for cutting, welding, punching, or drilling.  Everything comes marked and ready to bolt and screw together.

In fact, most clients find they significantly reduce construction time with Tekmetsan metal prefab building kits.

Conclusion

Tekmetsan’s experienced staff and streamlined production system helps bring your project in on time and on budget.

Customer Service for Steel Structures

Customer Service for Steel Structures

Successful metal building sales— in fact, successful sales for any product— start with creating a relationship of mutual respect with your buyer by providing excellent customer service.

From initial discussion to the finished building, Tekmetsan promises an excellent customer service throughout the life cycle of its building projects.

Along with our superior building, our excellent customer service brings repetitive sales and allow word of mouth marketing.

Over 70% of our sales are coming from our existing customers or those referred to us by previous customers, reflecting of our excellent customer satisfaction.

We are proud of earning the trust of our customers.  We will honour that trust by our continued commitment to providing the highest money for value and excellent customer service.

Metal Building projects are multi-party projects involving architects, local building officials, project engineers, general contractors, steel erectors, mechanical contractors and etc. High number of different parties generally increases the likeliness of possible problems. Our technical sales team are always one call away if you experience any issues related to our steel structure.

TEKMETSAN never neglects or avoids the customer after the sales. We do our best to make your steel structure experience trouble free.
However, if problems do arise, we do not abandon our customers after the metal building ships. With all our combined years of experience, it is unlikely you can have any problem that we have not encountered— and solved— before.

Conclusion

For the best steel buildings and excellent customer service, you can rely on TEKMETSAN steel buildings.

Solar Panels on Metal Buildings

Solar Panels on Metal Buildings

As the solar panel costs continues to drop, and the technology behind the solar energy devices advances, people are more often preferring to use them on pre-engineered steel buildings

There are various valid reasons why it is a good idea to put solar panels on top of the roof;

• Saving money on your electricity bill or offsetting your energy costs by selling electricity to the grid

• Taking advantage of an underutilized energy resource 

• Helping tackling global warming by reducing the dependence on fossil fuels

• Promote your company as a technology leader

Silicon solar cells are easily broken and have fragile wiring connecting them, so they need solid support such as that provided by an aluminium and glass encasement. On most traditional roof systems, that requires a racking system anchored to the roof by drilling into the roof’s surface.
Any roof penetration is, in the long run, a potential leak; and wind action on the panel can pull on the fasteners, which may widen the roof-holes over time. Mounting to a metal roof is a better option.
Depending on the type of the roofing type of a metal building, solar panels have different connection apparatus. But none of the mounting parts require a hole on the roof panel thus providing a safe and long standing connection between the solar panel and roof panel.

Solar panels are extremely durable and can last for 25 to 30 years, which is part of what makes them such a great investment for your building. 

However, in many cases, this means that your solar panels can outlive your roof, which can result in an added expense. If your roof is aging, you have to replace it before installing solar panels, or incur the additional cost of removing and re-installing your panels when the time comes to replace your roof. 

Metal roofs, on the other hand, are the most durable conventional roofing material available. If you have a metal roof on your building, it will likely last longer than the lifespan of your solar panels, which reduces expense and hassle in the long term.

Conclusion

Our goal at Tekmetsan is to give you the easiest building solutions without compromising quality. We take the additional solar panel loads on the roof into consideration in the steel design process which may sometimes increase the cost of the metal frame slightly.
Contact us to learn more about the features of our metal building systems adaptable for solar panel installation.

Portal Frame Buildings

Portal Frame Buildings

One of the most important decisions in purchasing a pre-engineered steel building is choosing the type of framing.  Which best fits the end-use, size, design, specifications, and budget for your project?

A Tekmetsan steel framed building uses “portal frame” steel framing.

Portal frame buildings are low-rise structures consisting of rafters and columns which are connected to moment-resisting connections for super strength.  As a result, they are constructed bay by bay which make them very fast to erect on site.  They were first developed in the 1960s, and have now become the most common form of construction.  

Portal frame construction is therefore typically seen in warehouses, barns and other places where large, open spaces are required at low cost and a pitched roof is acceptable.

Clear Span Steel Building

The frame of a clear span building is self-supporting and requires no interior columns.  The interior is completely open and unobstructed.

A clear span system provides the maximum amount of usable floor space and maximum floor plan flexibility.

Clear span structures are available up to 30 meters in width on Tekmetsan standard steel structures.
Clear span widths of over 30 meters are also possible with a custom order.
Typically, clear span framing works well wherever manoeuvrability is a factor.
Clear span structures are ideal for:

• Agricultural Buildings
• Aircraft and Helicopter Hangars
• Factories and Workshops
• Manufacturing Facilities
• Recreational Facilities and Gymnasiums
• Storage Buildings
• Warehouses

As the open-span width increases, the size and weight of the steel framing members must also increase to handle the structural load.

Modular Metal Framing

In modular framing, interior columns evenly distribute the structural load. Therefore, modular steel structures require lighter steel. Less framing weight reduces the cost of not only the steel building framing, but often the foundation as well.
Generally speaking, the wider the building, the greater the savings with a modular frame.
Unless unobstructed floor space is critical to the operation, most steel framed buildings wider than 30 meters use modular span framing. These may include:

• Distribution Centres
• Industrial Facilities
• Manufacturing Plants
• Warehouses

If clear span space is not paramount to your building’s operation, consider getting quotes for both systems for comparison of pricing.

Conclusion

Clear span designs offer the most usable space; modular designs create the most economical steel structures.

Whatever your metal building needs, Tekmetsan’s steel building framing specialists can provide you with expert guidance in choosing the best steel framed building for your specific application.  Our friendly and experienced staff will answer all your questions from building concept to completion

How to Prevent Structural Steel from Rusting

How to Prevent Structural Steel from Rusting

Steel is a robust, resilient and durable material which can main its structural integrity for decades if it is not exposed to corrosion. All steel materials, including steel structures, are susceptible to rust. If steel is not protected, rust is mostly unavoidable therefore all steel fabrications are subject to coating for a long lifetime. This blog will present techniques and methods on how to avoid corrosion on steel structures.

What is rust?

Rust is the term used to describe red iron oxides produced when ferrous metals corrode. Rust is the common name for the chemicals that result when iron reacts with oxygen and water. “Rust” is poorly defined in chemistry, however—lots of chemicals can be formed when iron is left exposed.

What causes rust?

Any material made with iron that is exposed to both oxygen and water will rust. Because steel is made almost entirely of iron, it is the most highly manufactured man made material that is subject to rust. 

While steel buildings and beams are structurally sound and stable, water molecules can penetrate those microscopic, near-invisible gaps within the steel. Once they creep within the metal, it starts to corrode slowly. Where salt is present – in seawater, for example – the corrosion process will be quicker. The presence of salt acts as a catalyst, accelerating the corrosion chemical reaction process

Types of Coatings
• Galvanising

Galvanised steel is an excellent solution for preventing rust. The steel product is coated in a zinc layer, which acts as a protective barrier for the metal underneath, against oxygen and water. Zinc is more reactive than iron, so the zinc oxidises, rather than the metal itself. 

• Painting

Protective paint systems usually consist of primer, intermediate/build coats and finish coats. Each coating ‘layer’ in any protective system has a specific function, and the different types are applied in a particular sequence of primer followed by intermediate/build coats in the shop, and finally the finish coat (or top coat) either in the shop or on site.

• Powder coating

Powder coating involves adding dry powders to clean surfaces, heating the object and subsequently turning the powder into a thin film. This film adds another layer of protection for structural steel surfaces against corrosion.

The coating type of each steel structure should be decided based on the below criteria;

• What kind of painting conditions are we working with?

• What kind of environment is our end product used in? (Is it indoors? Or are there harsh weather conditions?)

• What types of metal surfaces are we working with?

• How long do we want the paint to hold?

As with any field or industry, there are certain standards and regulations that need to be taken into account when deciding which product to go with. Tekmetsan complies with ISO 12944 International corrosion protection standard in its products.

 
Conclusion:

Tekmetsan technical sales team will guide you in choosing the best paint system tailored to your needs.

Steel Fabrication Process

Steel Fabrication Process

Fabrication is the process used to manufacture steelwork components that will, when assembled and joined, form a complete frame or structure.

At Tekmetsan, we usually use readily available standard sections that are purchased from the steel mills, together with such items as protective paints and bolts from other specialist suppliers. 

Our modern steelwork fabrication shops have computer-aided design and detailing (CAD), which is linked directly to factory floor computer numerically controlled (CNC) machinery, creating a genuine seamless CAD/CAM environment. The accuracy of the computer-generated details being transmitted directly to the CNC machinery increases the quality standards of our production.

Steel Fabrication Steps

1. Steel Detailing and Preparing Shop Drawing

While the architect creates the blueprint, a fabricator evaluates the steps with steelwork and recommend alterations that could be done to the shop drawing. And then, approval or rejection of these recommendations is done by the architect.

At Tekmetsan, our engineers and draftsmen work on the approved blueprint to create the details of the all steel parts that form the steel structure. These drawings will be used while manufacturing the components. For every individual shop drawing that is created, the below-mentioned aspects get the undivided attention:

• Material specification
• Manufacturing standards
• Required dimensions
• Surface setups
• Size
• Colour and paint requirements
• Welding
• Bolting

2. Cutting, Bending, Drilling

Cutting is the first part of structural steel fabrication. High-grade steel needs to be cut by cropping or sawing using different tools like sawing and drilling lines, laser cutters, plasma cutters, or water jets etc. 

The methods typically employed are sawing (cold sawing or band sawing), burning and shearing. All these tasks are performed under a closed manufacturing factory and all required safety measures are taken for these processes.

3. Welding & Assembly

Steel sections are assembled here to make complete structures. After cutting and forming of steel components are done, then the welding process begins to assemble it into a complete structure. Structural welding has its own set of codes, blueprints, and types of weld joints.

The process of welding involves the joining of two separate metal parts. The parts used in a welding application could be sheets, sections, bars or shapes. Welding is achievable through numerous methods and tool types. Often, a weld is achieved through the application of heat along the points where the two pieces are meant to be joined.

4. Surface Preparation & Painting

All the metal surfaces are cleaned by sandblasting or shot blasting before the paint application. Upon the request of the clients, Tekmetsan also offers hot dip galvanization coating to its clientele, however hot dip galvanization works are outsourced to specialized galvanization subcontractors.

Based on the paint selection of the customer, all painting works are performed in climate controlled environment according to the international standards.
Tekmetsan offers various types of paint coating for different levels of environments.

5. Packaging and Shipment

All the products are marked, packed and palletized and stored in the finish product warehouse. Tekmetsan uses overhead cranes and mobile high-up for the loading. We are able to load all means of transportation vehicles.

What is a steel framed building system?

What is a steel framed building system?

DEFINING A PRE-ENGINEERED METAL BUILDING SYSTEM

A steel framed building system creates an incredibly strong, long-lasting, affordable structure.

The flexibility of pre-engineered steel buildings makes them the ideal building solution for most low-rise agricultural, aviation, commercial, industrial, recreational, and storage buildings.

Check out the below video prepared by American Metal Building Builder Association.

What exactly is a Steel Framed Building System?

A metal building system is a system designed by a sophisticated steel structural software according to the design criteria and parameters. 

The software then generates detailed drawings for the fabrication of each framing component of the prefabricated metal building. 

Factory-trained professionals manufacture each piece of the framing to these exacting specifications.  Fabricators cut, shape, weld, drill, punch, paint, and mark each framing piece for quick identification.

Our steel framing systems ship to the job site, ready to assemble.

Pre-engineered Steel Building components

The steel building framing erects in a systematic, logical order:

• Factory-produced steel column and rafter beams bolt together with heavy-duty steel bolts and nuts, forming a single frame.

• These frames bolt to the foundation, creating a “bay”— the area between two frames.

• Steel girts are attached to the sides of the columns for cladding support.

• Steel purlins connect the frames across the roof.

• Typically, insulation (sandwich) panels screw to the roof and exterior walls forming the “skin” of the prefabricated metal building. However, a metal building system may also be finished with block, brick, glass, aluminium, tilt-up concrete, or any other traditional exterior finish.

In addition, all Tekmetsan pre-engineered steel buildings include an anchor bolt diagram and a set of plans for the erection works.

Contact Our Experts at Tekmetsan

Contact Tekmetsan Steel Building Systems now for more information about our commercial-grade steel building framing. 

You can trust our experienced metal building specialists to answer your every building question.  They can also provide valuable professional advice for streamlining your prefabricated metal building project. 

Steel Types and Grades

Steel Types and Grades

Steel offers exceptional qualities in terms of mechanical resistance. Of the most commonly used materials in construction, it demonstrates the greatest resistance for the lightest section, both in tension and compression. This opens the door for architects to a wide choice of technical and aesthetic solutions. 

The main steel grades that we are using in our structures are S235, S275 and S355 for structural members.

Steel Product Types

The steel products can be classified into two main categories, as shown in the below figure

1. Hot Rolled Profiles

Hot rolled long products (often referred to as ‘sections’ or ‘profiles’) are generally used for the main frame members (columns, beams, bracings).

Sections undergo various transformations through cutting, welding, bending etc., in order to obtain very different shapes and improved performance.

2. Cold Formed Long Products

Cold formed long products, formed from thin sheet steel, are generally used as secondary members for cladding (rails) and roofs (purlins)

3. Flat Products
In metal building construction, the use of flat products is mainly for the following purposes:
• Steel decking for floors
• Roofs
• Cladding
For each of these purposes, thin sheet steel is used, frequently formed into profiled sheets

Essential components of steel buildings

Essential components of steel buildings

A pre-engineered steel building is a modern technology where the complete designing is done at the factory and the building components are brought to the site in a completely knock down condition and then fixed/jointed at the site and raised with the help of cranes.
In this article we will highlight the three types of components used to build modern steel structures

1. Primary Framing

Primary framing is comprised of fabricated columns and rafters; referred to as frame lines or main frames when bolted together. These are the heavy members in the superstructure that bear the major weight and applied loads. 

These components are the distinguishable elements that people can see, and know without a doubt, that they are looking at a metal building. At Tekmetsan we use generally hot rolled sections for columns and rafters. 

Without the complete primary frame, the building would not stand up to vertical or lateral loads over time. The following items, bolted or welded together, form the superstructure:

• Columns: The vertical supports. Columns can come shaped as tubes or with a cross-sectional shape of a capital H, I, L or U.

• Beams: The horizontal supports that rest atop the columns. Usually I or H-shaped with flanges perpendicular to the “web” or main plate.

• Rafters: Also beams, these horizontal members support the roof assembly.

• Trusses and Lattice Girders: Alternative support for the roof or upper floors, comprised of a latticework of bracing metal between top and bottom chords. While the chords bear compression and tension loads, the bracing resists shear forces.

• Girders: Horizontal beams that support floors.

2. Secondary Framing

Once the backbone of your framing has been determined, the next step is to plan the secondary framing. 

Providing the stabilizing members that prevent the main frame from twisting out of shape, secondary components can also contribute to the structural support and provide the means to attach wall, roof and interior elements. The secondary framing usually transfers loads to the main frame.

• Girts and purlins: Girts tend to be Z-shaped, providing support for wall panels while increasing the strength and stability of the primary framing. Purlins serve the same purpose, but are utilized in roof applications.

• Wall and Roof Braces: Bars, cables rods or strips that resist shearing and contribute more lateral stability.

• Eave Struts: The transition piece between the wall girts and roof purlins along the eave.

• Headers and Jambs: The framework for openings such as doors, windows and bays.

3. Fasteners

The primary and secondary framing components needed to complete your structure will be manufactured in a steel fabrication facility to ensure the highest levels of quality and consistency. 

Once these pieces arrive on your site, it is time to assemble them with the approved fasteners:

• Bolts (anchor bolts, U-bolts, and so on)
• Construction screws
• Inserts
• Weld studs
• Threaded studs

Building Envelope

Typically comprised of pre-coated, single-skin metal panels; however, insulated metal panels are becoming more commonplace. However, just as common, the materials used to enclose a metal building structure can vary from masonry to glass, wood siding to innovative architectural panels, and beyond. Chances are the brick façade you see on your favourite retail store is hiding a metal building beneath. In certain applications, the metal panels add structural integrity to the building system as a whole, and why the term metal building systems is commonly used. 

Single-skin panels and the metal components of insulated panels are cold-formed, just like the secondary framing.

Sheet steel runs through a progressive series of rollers that shapes the flat material into a specific cross-sectional profile that is strong and durable. After cutting to length, appropriately bundled and crated, the finished product is ready for delivery.

While an economical option, the through-fastened metal panel remains a long-lasting, attractive and versatile product. Architectural metal panels offer concealed fastener options, with enough variety to likely satisfy all aesthetic demands.