Pre-engineered metal buildings: A game-changer in construction

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Revolutionizing the building industry with prefabrication and innovation. 

In this lively episode of MetalCast™, hosted by MetalCoffeeShop live from METALCON 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia, Bobby Mesmer, CEO of RMG Erectors & Constructors, shared his expertise on the evolution of pre-engineered metal buildings. The conversation, led by Heidi J. Ellsworth, covered how these structures have advanced from catalog-style designs to modern marvels of efficiency, versatility and sustainability. 

Bobby explained that the terminology ‘pre-engineered’ is not what it used to be. Likening it to calling a hot tub a Jacuzzi. He expressed how advancements over the past 50 years have transformed these buildings. “The technology over the last 50 years or more has come so far,” he said. “We’re doing the metal panels, we’re doing the wall insulation, we’re doing the roofing and the trim. So, it’s a complete product, it’s a complete envelope.” 

The discussion revealed how prefabrication is reshaping construction. Bobby noted, “A pre-engineered building is fully fabricated in a shop, put on a truck and sent out. So, in the field it’s erected as an assembly, it’s bolted together. There is no welding in the field, everything is bolt and screwed together.” This approach minimizes labor-intensive processes and accelerates timelines. “Fabricating within those conditions puts you in a position to be speedy to market,” he said. This is leading to happier workers, a better product and better quality control. 

Bobby described how diverse panel designs and modern architectural enhancements now make these structures suitable for a variety of markets. Noting that there are so many architectural elements now that you can add over top of the panels. “The panel becomes a structural panel when you do it in the right gauge with the right backing of the purlin and then now you can put a Nichiha panel, which is a fiber cement panel, which is your limestone finishes, your brick finishes, even your siding finishes over top of it.” 

Read the transcript, Listen to the podcast or Watch the interview to discover more about how these advancements are reshaping the building industry!