Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/807489
A PR IL 2017 | 31 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY BEHLEN INDUSTRIES; HONCO STEEL BUILDINGS Steel Building Systems architectural mouldings with the efficiency and strength of steel; Southgate also boasts Behlen's pre-finished insulated wall panels and bronze anodized aluminum finishes, which created a visual appeal without breaking the budget. Sean Lepper, Behlen's VP and general manager, says although the downturn in Alberta still lingers, his colleagues are "cautiously optimistic about 2017. People are finally talking about expanding again, which is what we wanted to hear given that a big part of our market was the oil and gas sector. We spent the past four years mod- ernizing our manufacturing facilities with robotics, new software and equipment, and now we're able to do a lot more with less – meaning more volume, with even more precise fit-ups thanks to new CNC machines." While expanding its market share in southern Ontario and Quebec is a big focus for Behlen, Lepper cites two recent western projects as examples of the sheer scale of structures Behlen can provide. "For Teck Resources in B.C., we manufactured a frameless storage facility of roll formed structural panel that is over 200-feet wide, and we provided a rigid frame facility of a comparable scale for the City of Calgary, for its composting program," he says. "These projects are noteworthy because, in addition to capabilities such as achieving clear spans of up to 300 feet, we design facilities for specific requirements, such as snow loads, wind and seismic, thus opti- mizing the volume of steel that is necessary for construction." Honco Steel Buildings is a good example of just how large the sector has become in Canada. The company is comprised of five manufacturing firms that process more than 15,000 tons of steel per year, which serves more than 600 different custom- ers internationally. Its clients range from the aviation industry to institutions and big box retailers; however, to owners and users of sports facilities, Honco is the company that brings tremendous quality to this often-neglected type of structure. Genevieve Filteau, Honco's marketing director, explains: "It's not uncommon in North America for recreational and sports facilities to be at least 40 years old, many of them in bad need of repair or replacement. The challenge is that municipal bud- gets are limited, and traditional approaches to building development are frequently beyond their capabilities." Honco's recent completion of a hockey rink facility that is part of the New England Sports Village in Attleboro, Massachusetts, is a doubly significant project for the com- pany: first, it's a major addition to Honco's voluminous portfolio of sports facilities; "second, we're in the midst of growing our U.S. presence, with all indications being that we'll be busy with sports-related projects in the next five years," says Filteau. Honco obtained a contract for the engineering design and the manufacturing of the New England Sports Village hockey rink building envelope, as well as the sec- ond floor steel structure and other conventional steel. The contract also included Honco's expertise in managing the on-site installation of the steel structure. Teck Resources frameless storage facility, B.C. New England Sports Village, Attleboro, MA. QUEBEC 418 831-2245 MONTREAL 514 354-5123 TOLL FREE: 1 (800) 463-5799 honco.ca Pre-engineered steel buildings FROM PROJECT TO REALITY + Better energy effi ciency + Optimal use of space + Lower construction costs + Attractive light-refl ecting structural ceiling DESIGN / FABRICATION / INSTALLATION