The origins of the metal building history date back nearly 100 years. Early in the 20th century, steel products companies began to appear. Their products were generally agricultural – water troughs, feed bins, grain bins, etc. These were mass-produced and traditionally of a single size. Therefore, they could be “pre-fabricated” – a ready inventory to be delivered when the customer needed it.

As time progressed, rudimentary building designs began to emerge, such as the pre-fabricated garage. Again, this was a limited product offering dimensionally, which allowed the garage to be carried in an inventory.

During World War II, a need arose for structures such as barracks and maintenance facilities that could be containerized and shipped – ready to erect. This was a perfect outlet for steel products companies. Buildings were produced that required no welding. They were bolted-up, lending themselves to simple, quick construction as the war advances and occupations unfolded.

By the end of the war, it was clear that the industry would not return to its pre-war product offerings. Metal buildings were here to stay. The post-war construction boom offered an ideal opportunity to mass produce buildings for a variety of non-residential industries. Metal building companies learned that partnerships with local contractors across a region or even the entire country were an effective way to deliver an erected building structure to the end customer.

Buildings during this time were still pre-fabricated as the marketplace adapted to the limited, set sizes that were available. However, structural engineers began to design more and more standard-size offerings to meet demand and soon pre-fabrication was no longer possible. At this time, still well before the computer age, the process came to be known as the “pre-engineered” metal buildings industry.

This configuration continued from the 1950s on into the mid-1980s. The advent of the computer to analyze and design structural members quickly has ultimately led to the modern make-to-order process that exists today. The pre-engineered system previously known is now limited to roof and wall panels and some connections design.

Today, the metal building industry boasts a capability of producing buildings for virtually any low-rise, non-residential end use. These building designs are performed quickly by industry engineers, who have vast knowledge of the building codes utilized in the United States. The custom design practice allows for economy in building design that makes metal buildings very attractive to the marketplace.