About

Manufacturing Facility, Tampico, Mexico

Project Overview: Cerrey S.A. de C.V. of Nuevo Leon, Mexico is a leading manufacturer of steam generation units used extensively in the oil industry. The 70-ft. tall boilers must be assembled in a sheltered space to protect them from the elements, keep their soldered areas clean and ensure optimal quality control. The Tampico facility spans six assembly pads, each of which must be accessible from all angles throughout the manufacturing process.

Challenge: Building a permanent structure to house this expansive area was cost-prohibitive and lacked the flexibility needed to access and move each steam unit independently, without disturbing other work stations. Shelter Structures’ challenge was to create a temporary building that could span and protect the manufacturing area as a whole, while providing easy accessibility to specific work pads within that space from all sides and from above.

Solution: Shelter Structures created a three-section fabric building on Hillman Rollers, powered by a custom designed traction system. Each shelter section, or “unit,” covers two work stations, and can be moved along a motorized track to provide complete outdoor access to the manufacturing floor in as little as 45 minutes.

Shelter Specifics: The Modified Quonset style shelter’s total dimensions are 108’W x 76’3”H x 378’L; each shelter unit is 126’ in length. End walls were added at a later date, to completely enclose the manufacturing floor.

Results: This wheel-mounted, semi-permanent building has provided Cerrey with a high performance, cost-effective solution that has helped the company achieve dramatic improvements in quality control. The quick and easy accessibility the fabric structure offers is key to its success in this application. “We use cranes to mount steam domes on the top of the boilers, so we needed a structure that could open up,” explains Miguel Soto, a consultant for Cerrey who managed the project. “We also access the steam units from the side when assembly is complete, to transport them for final shipment.” Soto praises Shelter Structures’ ability to design and manufacture a building that effectively addressed their requirements. “They were very responsive to every need we had, and willing to work with us on every detail,” he says. “It was a great experience, we would definitely use them again.”