The Proposed 2013 Federal Construction Budget
On February 17th the Associated General Contractors of America posted on AGC News information relating to the reduction in spending for all federal construction programs for 2013. The proposed 2013 federal budget would institute a 31% reduction in Military/DOD construction and a 6% decline in the amount for the Corps of Engineers’ civil construction projects. The reductions would total over $4 billion with only modest increases in GSA and VA spending of approximately $75 million. (more…)
- Published in Ramtech News
Ramtech Modular Buildings Now Available through TXMAS
With our GSA contract now in hand, Ramtech has now become eligible to provide the same modular construction products through the Texas Procurement and Support Services (TPASS) Texas Multiple Award Schedule (TXMAS) state purchasing program. (more…)
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Permanent and Temporary Modular Buildings on Display at TASBO Annual Conference
Ramtech continues to make great strides in securing contracts in a tough economic climate for portable classrooms, multiple classroom facilities, and modular buildings for public, private, and charter schools. Last week we were on full display at the 2012 Texas Association of School Administrators Midwinter Conference and Education Expo at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. Next up on the calendar for our education group is the 66th annual Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) which will be held February 27 – March 2, 2012 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. (more…)
- Published in Ramtech News
More Urban Schools Turning to Permanent Modular Buildings
A month ago, I asked the following question on the “School Construction News” discussion blog: “Have any of you used a Permanent Modular Building System to expand existing school campuses or build entire new campuses? It appears to work especially well with rural schools.” I expected to hear primarily from small rural districts.
Instead two large, prominent school districts, Milmont School District in Reading, Pennsylvania, and Miami-Dade School District in Florida commented that they regularly used permanent modular construction to add new campuses and expand existing ones.
While Ramtech worked in Texas with both the Arlington and Alief Independent School Districts in expanding a number of their campuses, most urban school districts throughout the Southwest do not realize that permanent modular construction is a perfect building system for expanding existing school campuses. Ramtech has been active in school construction for over 30 years and its Accelerated Building System saves both time and money compared to traditional site construction.
Why do districts like Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Ft Worth, and Austin not think of modular construction as a means to expand their campuses? The reason is simple: When large school districts throughout the SW (with the possible exception of California) think of modular construction, they think of temporary, portable buildings. They do not realize that permanent modular buildings can be built non-combustible, with the same concrete foundations as traditional site constructed buildings, while built to the same model building codes. Recently, the Modular Building Institute (MBI), the trade association that supports the commercial modular industry, committed to investing both time and money on educating both architects and school districts on the benefits of permanent modular construction.
This would aid those school districts that are working hard to get within their reduced budgets while providing high quality buildings much faster. Click here to learn more about permanent modular school construction
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Mike Slataper is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Ramtech Building Systems, Inc.
- Published in Ramtech News
Modular Buildings and Energy Development
Ramtech’s investment and focus on product development is once again on display as we have expanded our modular building offerings for the oil and gas industry. Recently, our emphasis has been on developing skid mounted and wheeled chassis product designs that utilize a robust construction approach that will meet the rigors of working in remote, severe, or unfriendly environments while still providing for the features and amenities demanded in what is now a very competitive and tight energy labor market.
Included are standard floor plan designs for small and large man camps, workforce and oilfield housing, offices, sleepers, tool pushers, dining and mess halls, recreation facilities, infirmaries, and washcars and laundries. All of the prefabricated facilities utilize single point connections to public or temporary utility sources and are factory-furnished with appliances, furniture, utensils and even linens for immediate field deployment.
Targeted at short or long-term use for both end-user operators and turnkey logistics and property management groups, we expect that these product offerings will be extremely versatile and ideally suited for the fast-growing development areas like the Bakken Oil Shale Formation in North Dakota and the Eagle Ford Shale Gas Play in South Texas, the sixth largest domestic oil discovery in US history.
- Published in Ramtech News