When looking back at the history of commercial modular construction, an evolutionary change began to occur in the early ’80s when the industry was primarily controlled by several large modular leasing companies such as GE Modular Space, and several wholesale modular manufacturers, the largest being Cliff Industries. At that time the only successful multi-plant, direct sale manufacturer was a company called PBS.
But things began to change in 1982, when a steady transformation of the modular industry started to take place led by the establishment of a small modular dealership known as Ramtech Modular Design. Within two years Ramtech had expanded its operations by opening and developing its own modular manufacturing plant in the growing city of Mansfield, Texas. At that time Ramtech’s mission was simple – stay profitable and remain financially strong, treat its employees well, and provide its customers with the best value engineered modular buildings available. This focus on the fundamentals not only helped Ramtech to prosper, but also supported the development of the modular industry and contributed to the growth of the city of Mansfield.
Within its first decade, Ramtech Modular Design had changed its name to Ramtech Building Systems and expanded its manufacturing capacity three times. During this period, when other modular building companies were cutting back, Ramtech began to hire the best employees in the industry, many of whom are still with the company today. This allowed us to become the premier modular design, manufacturing, and construction company in the Southwest while also building a completely debt-free leasing company. While many people knew Ramtech as the leading supplier of portable classrooms in Texas during this time, we also had become one of the largest provider of permanent modular buildings in the Southwest with clients in the healthcare industry, federal and municipal government agencies, public and private schools and universities, and Fortune 500 companies.
At the beginning of Ramtech’s third decade, a proprietary permanent modular construction process known as the Accelerated Building System (ABS) was developed which provided a superior facility for less money, while also being much faster than conventional construction. With the success of several completed projects for a number of different facility applications, the development of the ABS method has steadily gained the respect and acceptance by architects, large contractors, educators, government agencies, healthcare providers, and commercial and industrial companies.
Now with over 30 years in business, Ramtech has successfully completed more than 3,000 contracts for all types of relocatable and permanent modular buildings. During this time the commercial modular industry has also experienced rapid growth with one of the key reasons being the support provided by the Modular Building Institute (MBI), the international trade association that represents the commercial modular industry. Ramtech’s commitment and financial support of the MBI dates back over 25 years, with three of our key managers serving on several committees and as president of the Association. For 15 years Ramtech employees have also supported and represented the modular industry by serving on the Texas Industrial Building Code Council, the main regulatory agency for the modular industry in Texas.
Since our move to Mansfield in 1984, the city has been very supportive of Ramtech and for this reason we committed ourselves to several non-profit charity organizations that operate here. These organizations include the Chamber of Commerce, the Women’s Division of the Chamber, the Mansfield Independent School District’s Education Foundation, Meals on Wheels, Kiwanis, and numerous other charitable organizations. Our contributions have included thousands of hours worked by numerous Ramtech employees as well as committing the company’s financial support. Clearly Ramtech has been blessed with great loyal employees, a superb management team, and unwavering support from the City of Mansfield and the Modular Building Institute.
