Why More and More Building Owners want Light Industrial Construction

Light industrial construction, as the name implies, is more than just traditional commercial building construction. But “light industrial construction” also represents more than just an industrial building that is smaller, or has less warehouse or manufacturing space, than a regular industrial building. Light industrial buildings are becoming more and more in demand for a major reason - versatility. Traditional industrial buildings may seem “fixed” and “heavily customized” - for one specific type of occupant. For example, a transportation hub warehouse for trucks is quite inflexible. The building is designed to be best used for that purpose. It is full of loading bays and docks and open areas for moving, and temporarily storing, shipped goods. A traditional manufacturing facility on the other hand can be far more stationary. It can be a large building full of immovable robotics and heavy machinery for the sole purpose of production. All of the industrial machinery installed can be not only unique, and permanently stationed, but extremely customized to its own specific industry segment. In today’s fast-moving commercial economy, there’s demand for more flexibility - more than the traditionally fixed and heavily customized industrial buildings, and yet more than just office buildings. There’s more desire for “light industrial.” Light industrial buildings are invaluable because they can actually fit the multiple needs described above. They can be built to offer some loading docks, facilities for light machinery, office and visitor spaces as well. And they can be flexible. These buildings can be designed to allow for easy movability such as relocating walls and industrial machinery such as robotics. But why would traditional commercial office locations need more of these kinds of options in their buildings anyway? Today’s business economy is all about change - and fast change. Computers and light robotics have transformed industry so much that they have reduced the needs for large, traditional spaces. Smaller, faster machinery can increase production, while reducing manufacturing space requirements. These machines coupled with modern computers and office work approaches also have blurred the lines and reduced the needs for barriers between traditional manufacturing and office work. Shipping also weighs heavily into all of this. Amazon and the eCommerce world, and UPS and FedEx as shipping providers, have reduced the needs for traditional warehouse and transportation hubs. At the same time, these small package shipping providers have increased trucks on the road and in the supply chain pipeline, and have consequently clogged the transportation infrastructure. Which has contributed to the deterioration of the U.S. overall transportation infrastructure and roads. Yet consumers have continued to demand more and more products to be delivered faster. And suppliers continue to rise to meet these demands. The millennial marketplace is all about people “reinventing themselves” in work. For decades, businesses have been trending away from the traditional large corporations full of low-level workers, and towards an American economy where there are more and more small business owners trying their hand at their own fresh business idea. Business has become populated by increasing small businesses serving smaller niche markets - everybody is getting their own small piece of the pie. All of these forces combined make light industrial buildings the perfect solution. Smaller and more versatile light industrial buildings can be constructed in more locations - consuming less space than their traditional industrial counterparts, yet offering more transportation speed and options. Customers can receive smaller shipments faster - direct to their doorsteps. And as businesses grow, or relocate, faster today than ever before, light industrial buildings can easily be built out for the next company’s needs. Want more? Read about Buildrite’s commmercial construction renovation services.