Mahaffey Blog

Industrial manufacturers lose $50 billion every year to unplanned downtime, according to a recent Emerson study.

When faced with equipment failure, limited production capacity or unexpected outages, top-performing companies are the ones that respond effectively without wasting time, energy or profitability. For many, modular structures are instrumental in minimizing downtime and ensuring business continuity across any crisis.

Temporary-structure solutions that are modular in design make it quick and painless to scale. Once these structures are in place, companies can adjust the sizing when their needs change — without spending weeks on new construction or renovations.

Compared with permanent buildings or purchased structures, leasing a modular solution allows businesses to maximize their existing space at a fraction of the cost. Here are six benefits of modular structures for growing companies.

MEMPHIS, Tenn.— For nearly 100 years, Mahaffey has been providing large-scale temporary fabric structures for businesses across the country – from temporary warehouses and aviation hangars to fire stations and blast-resistant structures – all managed from the company’s Memphis headquarters. Mahaffey USA has been acquired by Sunbelt Rentals. Terms of the deal were not released.

It’s been a challenging year for the manufacturing sector, to say the least.

Between the natural disasters, trade-policy changes, economic uncertainty and shifting consumer demand, manufacturing companies around the world are experiencing unprecedented interruptions to their sales and production. A recent Fortune study found that a whopping 94 percent of Fortune 1000 companies are facing supply-chain disruptions because of COVID-19, leading to increased lead times, delays and costs.

Space needs change quickly. If you find yourself needing more room for a short-term project, a clear span structure can provide that space quickly and efficiently.

The term “clear span” describes a structure with an unobstructed interior. Rather than relying on internal columns for structural support, a clear span structure is supported entirely by the external framework. This provides more usable space, making it the perfect solution for construction sites, break areas, warehouses and more.

You have two main options to add a clear span structure to your site: leasing or purchasing. Though each provides unique benefits, leasing may be your best option if your focus is on the bottom line. Here are five reasons why leasing a temporary or semi-permanent clear span structure is more cost-efficient than buying.

Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) units are among the most popular amenities that accompany Mahaffey’s temporary structures. A comfortable, climate-controlled environment keeps your crews productive, your operations efficient and your budget on-track. 

HVAC systems need regular preventative maintenance, and if you’re not taking care of the units installed with your temporary structures, it could have disastrous effects on your projects or events. Here are five consequences of neglecting the HVAC units on your fabric tents:

Lost Production Time

Every time you ignore the everyday wear-and-tear on your HVAC unit, you are moving it one step closer to a total system failure. Without consistent check-ups by either you or a professional, your unit could face a whole slew of problems, from dirty filters and leaking refrigerant, to burst coils and blown fuses. If you wait to look at your HVAC until after it’s stopped working entirely, you’ll then be dealing with larger, more intrusive issues that get in the way of your business. Time that you spend on a full HVAC repair or replacement may reduce production efficiency — or worse yet, a total system failure may halt your production entirely. A small but persistent issue with your unit could have you facing significant losses in production and efficiency.

Temporary or semi-permanent fabric structures can be time- and money-saving solutions for any industry, from manufacturing and construction to education and military.

You don’t need a general contractor and a year of lead time to build a structure that lasts.

Hard-sided solutions provide the durability of more permanent structures with the flexibility and efficiency of a temporary structure. At Mahaffey, our optional Guardian Steel Walls™ can add even more resilience to your temporary solutions. This add-on is particularly popular in the construction and manufacturing industries with longer-term projects. Companies choose hard-sided sidewalls for their temporary structures when they need solutions that are semi-permanent, rather than temporary.

Wondering if hard-sided solutions are the right fit for your business? Here are five benefits of these upgraded solutions.

When you embark on a new project, your needs can change quickly. Suddenly you may find yourself renovating a building with no protection from the winter weather, stuck with limited workspace and new pandemic guidelines for your employees or in immediate need of temporary storage for a highly-sensitive product. You need a solution to keep things on track — and fast.

Enter: Mahaffey Fabric Structures.

Our clear span fabric structures can be completely customized, able to adapt to the quickly-changing needs of your project. We can build a structure to fit any space — whether you need to attach it to an existing building or even place one on top of a skyscraper. Your custom fabric structure can include virtually any accessory system the project may require, such as flooring, lighting and climate control. And when you need to expand, reduce, dismantle or relocate it, these structures can be quickly redesigned to match your new needs.

Though used for temporary purposes, fabric structures have a longer lifespan than steel, able to last for 20 years without needing repairs from rust or corrosion. They’ll even withstand heavy snow, rain and wind so that your project stays on schedule.

Custom fabric structures are commonly used as temporary warehouses, aircraft hangars, base camps, living facilities and lunch tents. However, the uses don’t stop there. When it comes to our custom clear span fabric structures and expert team, the sky is the limit. Here are four unique use cases for custom fabric structures:

December 16, 2020 – Memphis, Tenn. – Manufacturers employing thousands of people now have a rapid way to safely screen shift-workers for a common COVID-19 symptom, thanks to Memphis company Mahaffey USA.

When your company is faced with a disaster, how can you manage for the unexpected? The key to overcoming challenges is preparedness that begins long before you need it.