The word ‘Mezzanine’ is rather loosely used in building and construction – often referencing a floor above a ground floor that originally was a high-ceilinged one, but subsequently split into two, taking advantage of the extra vertical space.
The above definition is only partially correct. In reality, a mezzanine floor is any intermediate floor between two main floors of a building, and hence not counted amongst the actual floors – more a kind of in-between or sub floor.
But never mind the definition; the function of such a floor is high on utility and versatility, and generally comes at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new floor space of equivalent area.
Industrial mezzanines, as built especially in warehouses, serve a variety of functions and uses. Typically, these would be temporary or semi-permanent in structure. Let’s look at them in a bit more detail.
What is an Industrial Mezzanine?
Warehouses are perfect candidates for mezzanine floors. That’s because, in general, they are blessed with high ceilings and hence ample vertical space. Mostly, warehouses do not come with industrial mezzanines originally built into them; rather, they get built as per the exigencies of the business.
Therefore, industrial mezzanines are usually temporary, free-standing structures that can be installed, uninstalled and relocated at will – and are thus commercially made and sold. They may be supported by steel structures or even racks and shelves. However, what material is ultimately used is dependent on the dimensions and use of the mezzanine – for eg, fibre cement boards may also be used.
An industrial mezzanine could also include office space – basically enclosed paneled area. They come in three basic configurations: Custom, Standard and Modular. The clincher as far as decision-making goes, ultimately rests on the benefits and, in this context, industrial mezzanines win all the way. Here are some of the benefits
More Space Within Existing Space
The best thing about mezzanine floors is that you are not buying new real estate, yet increasing the space you own within the space you already own! We all know that real estate costs are the real killer in any operational expansion. With mezzanine floors, that crippling cost factor is almost completely nullified. What you are effectively doing is expanding upwards instead of outwards, at a fraction of the cost. If planned and executed well, a mezzanine floor can almost double your available floor space.
Budget-Friendly
Which brings us to the factor of cost. As already stated, the cost of building a mezzanine is small compared to purchasing real estate. It is thus a budget-friendly option to conventionally building an extra floor, relocating to a larger site or acquiring a secondary warehouse. Once again, if both design and procurement are planned well, it can result in huge savings of both time and financial outlay.
Versatile and Adaptable
Mezzanine floors are highly versatile by nature. They adapt to the specific needs of the available space and business. Be it office space, operational or storage areas, or any other business need, they can be designed to fit the exact requirement.
A Boon at Expansion Time
The objective of any business is to grow. Hence, at some point, every well-run business is going to outgrow its existing space – be it by expansion of staff, departments, operations or inventory storage. At such a time, the business is confronted with a decision on how to expand. As already stated, industrial mezzanines are the logistical and budget-friendly option to relocating or buying new property.
Easy to Install/Uninstall
The great thing about industrial mezzanines is that they are not permanent structures. Rather they can be uninstalled and relocated at will. Hence, at each expansion or growth stage of a business, they can simply be dismantled and installed at the new site, if needed. Because they aren’t completely design-dependent, they could easily adapt to the configurations of the new warehouse as well.
And because they essentially have a simple design and high adaptability, they are quick and easy to install, and hence offer the least painless option to any warehouse expansion.
It should also be noted that mezzanine floors are still very much subject to Construction Regulations. Hence it is always prudent to use the services of an experienced company who will not only perform a site survey and due diligence, but also ensure full legal compliance and hence make the process streamlined and easy.
In India, Kompress is one such company. With deep domain expertise and innovative solutions across the entire spectrum of commercial, corporate and industrial storage systems, coupled with total in-house manufacturing and quality control resources, Kompress is your best bet for Industrial Mezzanine solutions.
kompressindia.com