We are shortly going to establish a a new section devoted to companies engaged in steel framed buildings, structural steel fabrication, erection and design.

There are now many companies in the UK and in Europe involved in prefabricating building components. These modules are normally designed to fit into a partially constructed building and are brought in by truck and craned into place. Complete finished and decorated rooms can be constructed this way. The benefits of this technique is that close control of tolerances and quality can be ensured, costs are more transparent and savings are possible due to speedier overall contruction. Bathroom pods, bedrooms, kitchens and toilets are typical of the larger prefabrications now available.

Other types of prefabrications include prefabricated arches, wall sections, decorative panels and so forth.

Offsite construction of houses, schools, hotels, office buildings and supermarkets is now becoming an important sector within the UK Building Industry. Build-time savings of up to 40% are coupled with improved quality, reduction in water useage and gains arising from reduced on-site health and safety risks. Up to 25% of new builds ordered by the Housing Corporation have been designed to employ off-site construction. Up to 85% of Heathrow's Terminal 5 has been built using of-site construction.

CAD/CAM techniques linked to automated production systems as used in the automotive industry lie behind the new Corus Living Solutions Plant now established at Shotton in Wales. This factory is planned to produce 3000 modular units a year. Another plant - Yorkon (A subsidiary of Portakabin) - already has the capacity to make 600 units a year. In Japan, Toyota is the largest supplier of off-site housing while US companies have exported complete house kits to Southern Spain.

Steel is the main structural component of these modular units but combined steel and wood-framed units may increase market penetration substantially. Already 5 storey apartments have been built at Murray Grove in London and new developments at Raines Court included 53 flats and eight offices.