Volumetric Construction

Volumetric construction is the use of modular building techniques where large portions of the finished product are manufactured off site in a factory and then assembled on site to form a finished structure.  Modular Construction is a subset of Volumetric Construction and the terms are often used interchangeably. See Wikipedia Modular Construction.  Volumetric Construction methods focus on delivering a finished product faster (and with fewer errors) than traditional site-built structures because much of the building takes place in a controlled indoor environment.  See “What is Modular Construction”.   A time-lapse of a volumetric hotel is visible here.

Participants in the modular construction business can be broken down into three general categories:

• Manufacturers (who manufacture the modules in a plant);
• Dealers (who own and lease modules); and
• General Contractors (who use modules to complete construction projects)

Some of the larger US manufacturers include:

• Guerdon Modular
• Whitley Manufacturing
• Titan Modular Systems, Diamond Builders, Southeast Manufacturing, Sunbelt Modular

Modular dealers typically own and manage a fleet of modular buildings that are leased to end users.  See Modular Construction Industry Reports & Analysis.  Many dealers lease buildings to the construction and education markets.  Some of the larger US dealers include:

• Williams Scotsman
• VESTA Modular
• Mobile Modular

In recent years there has been substantial consolidation in the industry as Williams Scotsman, VESTA Modular and others have acquired other dealers in the space.  See

• Williams Scotsman Completes ModSpace Acquisition;
• VESTA Modular Acquires MSpace Holdings;
• Balmoral Acquires VESTA Modular

A few US modular dealers also serve as turnkey general contractors for modular construction projects:

• VESTA Modular.  See Ann Arbor Modular Classrooms

The Modular Building Institute monitors the industry and tabulates relevant industry statistics.