Veneklasen Construction’s new metal building for Mobile Defenders was honored with a Hall of Fame award from metal building materials supplier Varco Pruden Builders. The 86,000 sq ft project won top honors in the office building category. The eduParts brand also operates from the property.
The annual Varco Pruden Hall of Fame recognizes top architectural building projects from authorized Varco Pruden builders. Veneklasen Construction is one of nearly 1000 authorized Varco Pruden builders in North America. According to varcopruden.com “Winning projects exemplify innovation and excellence using Varco Pruden building systems that showcase exceptional architectural designs, efficiencies, and desired end-use.”
The pre-engineered metal building solution
A pre-engineered metal building is more cost-effective and faster to build than conventional steel construction, making it the ideal choice for this project. Varco Pruden structural materials combined with custom finishes and masonry accents to deliver all the function the client needed. The welcoming aesthetic they desired was also achieved. The entire project took 8 months from ground-breaking to move-in despite winter weather delays and supply chain issues.Veneklasen Construction's pre-engineered metal building capability has been developed over 45 years in the business. Today’s self-managed steel erection teams, state-of-the-art equipment, and vast experience make Veneklasen among the most capable steel building contractors in the Midwest. CEO Chris Veneklasen shares what this award means to him and his team, “Being acknowledged for the quality of our PEMB capabilities feels really good. It’s a nod to the steel construction expertise we’ve worked hard to develop, and it highlights the powerful solutions we can bring to our customers as a Varco Pruden builder. Most importantly, it’s a well-deserved pat on the back for our project management and steel teams.”
Thriving today, room to grow tomorrow
The new building features 12,000 sq ft of office space, 27,000 sq ft of ancillary warehouse space, and 48,000 sq ft of additional space for up to 3 future tenants. PURE Architects of Grand Rapids Michigan designed the low-maintenance, high-function metal building to serve the tech client’s immediate and future growth needs.
Inside, a mix of enclosed and open-plan offices are supported with amenities including flex areas for collaborative work, a gym, breakrooms, and kitchen. The office space, which can accommodate up to 95 team members, was home to 65 employees at its opening in October 2022. Office areas feature energetic colors inspired by the company’s brands. Finishes on counters and furniture offer both durability and home-like comfort. Specialized ceiling-mounted acoustic panels further soften the interior with diffusion of sound and light.
Designed to support people and operations
A key feature of the office space is ready access to the adjacent warehouse space where inventory is managed. The building is designed to allow team members to seamlessly move between sales and order acceptance and packaging and delivery functions. Vertical-lift overhead doors expose shipping docks where pallets of the company’s mobile phone and Chromebook accessories are efficiently loaded for distribution.
Outside, the structure is welcoming and functional. The entire metal building is wrapped with 3” insulated Varco Pruden metal panels making it low maintenance and highly efficient. Employees and visitors are greeted by contrasting entryways with canopies and masonry insets. Banks of floor-to-ceiling windows deliver natural light to the interior and visual flow to the exterior.
6 months after moving into their new building, the client has expanded its team and inventory to achieve growth goals and has diversified their revenue by leasing a portion of the new property.
Top honors in the Office Building category
“We didn’t set out to win an award with this project, but it’s great to be recognized. We always work to deliver a building that solves problems and creates opportunities for our customers’ business operations. In partnership with PURE Architects, we certainly accomplished that goal for Mobile Defenders and eduParts” says Doug Ritz, VP of Project Management & Pre-Construction at Veneklasen Construction.
Note: Since the building opened in October 2022, the Mobile Defenders brand has been sold to Virginia-based Mobile Sentrix. The EduParts division continues full operations from the new building.