Why Pittsburgh-Area Manufacturers Are Modernizing Instead of Building New

Manufacturing facilities do not always need more square footage to support changing production requirements. Sometimes the bigger issue is how effectively they use existing space.

For Pittsburgh-area manufacturers in established industrial facilities, modernization can offer another path. An industrial building modernization project can address material flow, storage, production space, and equipment layout without automatically requiring a move to a newly constructed facility.

Existing Space May Have More Capacity Than It Appears

Limited floor space does not necessarily mean a facility has reached its practical capacity.

Poor storage arrangements, inefficient material movement, unused vertical space, and outdated equipment layouts can consume valuable working areas. Reviewing these conditions may reveal opportunities to reorganize operations within the existing building.

A facility assessment can consider:

• Conveyor routes and transfer points
• Heavy-duty pallet racks and shelving
• Material staging areas
• Production workspaces
• Vertical storage opportunities
• Pedestrian and equipment traffic
• Modular work or office areas

The objective is to determine whether the current footprint can better support present and future operations.

Modern Conveyor Systems Can Improve Material Flow

Production requirements can change significantly while an older conveyor layout remains largely unchanged.

Equipment additions, new product lines, different packaging, and revised workflows can create unnecessary transfers or inefficient routes. These problems can increase material handling and complicate movement between production areas.

A warehouse upgrade can include modifying existing conveyor equipment or integrating new conveyors around current operations.

Planning should start with how materials need to move, not simply where another conveyor will fit.

The material handling conveyor planning process should consider system requirements, equipment integration, installation, and ongoing support when changes extend beyond individual components.

Storage Systems Can Make Better Use of the Existing Footprint

Storage is another important consideration during facility modernization.

Inventory growth can gradually consume production and staging areas when an existing storage configuration no longer matches operating requirements. Pallet racking, shelving, and other storage systems can help organize available space around how materials are actually received, stored, picked, and moved.

Vertical space may also provide additional opportunities. Depending on the building and application, a mezzanine can create usable space without increasing the facility’s exterior footprint.

Plan these changes alongside material flow so additional storage doesn’t introduce new congestion.

Modernization Can Be Completed Around Existing Operations

Building new generally involves creating an entire facility around future operating requirements. Modernization starts differently: determining what can be retained and what needs to change.

That may involve replacing specific conveyor sections, changing a layout, adding storage equipment, reorganizing work areas, or integrating new material handling equipment with existing systems.

This flexibility allows an upgrade to focus on identified operational constraints rather than treating the entire facility as one problem requiring replacement.

What Should Manufacturers Review Before Modernizing?

An effective modernization plan begins with operational requirements.

Before selecting equipment, manufacturers can review where materials enter the facility, how they move through production, where delays occur, and where finished products are staged or stored.

The review should also account for equipment access, maintenance needs, employee movement, available floor and vertical space, and future production changes.

These factors help determine whether individual equipment upgrades are sufficient or whether a broader material handling redesign is appropriate.

Plan an Industrial Building Modernization Around Material Flow

Modernizing an existing Pittsburgh-area facility is not simply about fitting newer equipment into an older building. Equipment, storage, workflow, and available space must function as a coordinated system.

Heinrich Brothers Inc. supplies and integrates conveyors, storage systems, mezzanines, and other material handling equipment for industrial facilities. The planning process can help identify opportunities to improve an existing facility while accounting for current operations and future material handling requirements.

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