Recently I found an Off-Site construction company in Arizona that does some unique things with containers.
Linked Equipment is that unique company and their President, Mark Pike, was recently interviewed by one of my newest contributors, Bobby Olander.
Here is the interview he had with Mark Pike, the Founder and President of Linked Equipment.
Mark Pike, President of Linked Equipment
Bobby Olander: Let’s
get started finding out a little about the modular building industry and how you got started in it.
From Bussing to Buildings
Mark Pike: I started a charter bus
company in 1986 and ran it through 2009. In 2004, we were fortunate
enough to earn a contract with Fort Bliss a military base in El Paso, Texas.
President Bush had just commanded bases to deploy troops for the war. We were
contacted by them in 2004 and by 2009 our little 20 bus company grew to 60
buses running full time.
The Colonel of the base didn’t have the support for the fast
growth the base was experiencing and contracted us to help build some modular
buildings. We wanted to succeed in this endeavor so said “yes” and brought in
refurbished units to serve as container restrooms, storage, offices, and living
quarters. We placed them in the field where the troops would have easy
access to everything. They were rugged as hell, went up quickly, and
could serve as a temporary or permanent structure as needed. The base was
not as concerned about cost, but these were also the most cost-effective way to
go as well. We started building then and found we were good at it and
enjoyed it. That’s how we got our start constructing modular buildings
from ISBU containers.
By 2010 our charter bus company had developed a lot of experience
and background in modular building, especially utilizing shipping containers as
the building blocks for modular facilities. In 2012, I started Linked
Equipment. We started out selling equipment because that’s where my
background was. We sold a lot of light towers, equipment, trucks, things of
that nature when we got started. Always on the side we were doing these
modular buildings from shipping containers. The sales from the equipment
definitely helped us get the modular building business up and running.
Eventually, the modular building business continued to grow, until
we stopped selling individual equipment in favor of finished buildings.
During that period of time, we built a lot of storage containers. We also built
restrooms, offices, mostly what we would consider simple builds.
In 2015-2016, the cannabis industry started to emerge, and we were
fortunate enough to get several contracts to build labs for vendors in the
cannabis industry (mostly in Washington). Once cannabis was made legal in
California, business really took off. To date we have more than 50 labs
under our belt with labs in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Michigan,
Oklahoma, Missouri, Florida, Hawaii, and Jamaica. We have been very
fortunate that way. We have really expanded this past year. We have gone
from making a couple hundred thousand a year to being on track to close with $5
million in sales this year.
Several Interesting Builds:
Bobby:Tell me about some of your more interesting or challenging builds
over the years.
Mark: Restrooms for a Ghost
Town with no Electricity,
There was one build where a gentleman came by our offices four
years ago asking for information about off the grid restrooms. He was
considering buying a ghost town in Wickenburg, Arizona. We talked and I
didn’t think too much of it until two years later when he came by again, and he
said, “remember me. I actually bought the facility, and we’d like to move
forward with the restroom.” We designed the restroom as we did most of
our restrooms and were finishing it up for delivery. At this point he let
us know that they had no power up there. They were planning to bring a
few generators to run the facility, but the restroom itself would have no
power. Then he asked us, “can you make this restroom work?”
We accepted the challenge and were able to create something that
was well built and could also operate without regular power. We went with
all DC, basically running off of batteries. So, we pulled in an engineer to
help us with the design and were able to design the electrical panel, which was
all DC (kind of similar to what you would use in an RV or boat) and we place
that on the outside of the building. We ran all LED lights, and revisions to
make it functional and sturdy.
We went with tankless waterless urinals and added some pumps to
feed water into two main tanks providing for the whole restaurant. It
actually worked out really well! Then we hooked up a battery charger to
the panel, and he had a row of batteries down below the panel.
Before his events, he’d bring in a generator and put them on
charge for seven to eight hours and they were ready to operate all day for
visitors.
Self-contained Restrooms for a Mining Company
We did another restroom that was all self-contained for a mining
company up in Nevada. That was a 40-foot building with 8 tanks (4 for
freshwater and 4 for blackwater). They had pumps both black and fresh).
So, they put this thing down there, way down at the bottom of the mine.
We added pumps for both fresh and blackwater tanks and ran a hose from a truck
to their subterranean restroom weekly to pump in fresh water and extract the
wastewater. They hooked up a generator to it, and that thing (as far as we
know) is still running today.
We love these custom builds because we could do prefab all day
long. But people have these unique needs, and they need someone of our caliber
to go make this happen. I mean, a DC or self-contained subterranean bathroom. I
don’t think most people could design, build, and deliver buildings that remain
operational after years in challenging environments the way we do. Again, the
industrial caliber equipment and building methods we use give us an edge.
Oil Fields and Barges
We have shipped units everywhere. We shipped a couple of
them to an oil field. After the workers were out in the oil fields all
day, they wanted to clean up before they went home. They were able to come into
the building where they each had their own lockers and could shower before
going home. We put another on a barge for the crew. Our container builds
are tough making it possible to bring to bring basic comforts into harsh
conditions.
Parking Lot Stores and Restaurants in California.
We are currently working on a fun project now for the city of
Redondo Beach, California. They have a parking lot where the city has
allowed vendors to set up. They are looking at three 20-foot converted
containers to become a kitchen, a coffee shop, and a beer garden. In one
building they plan to setup a self-contained kitchen (similar to the self-contained
restroom that we just spoke about). The second 20-foot container will be
turned into a coffee shop. In the third 20-foot container they want a beer
garden. In the beer garden container, they will have a cold storage on
one side and can serve out of the other side.
Transitioning from Simple to Complex Builds
Bobby: After building 50 labs
you must really know what you’re doing! They are highly combustible
workspaces at best, but I read about them blowing up all the time! With every
one of them needing to be perfect, was the learning curve back in the day
difficult? I mean how do you do it perfectly starting with the first one?
Mark: Yes, there were some
educational builds when we were getting started that were challenging at the
time, but gave us the chops we use today.
We looked at how hard it was going to be to make that transition
from just doing storage and other simple builds to those very first labs. I
mean, labs have all that safety equipment, and there need to be explosion proof
everything and seemed like that would be a hell of a learning curve.
It was a huge learning curve we had one particular job that kind
of helped us hop the fence and get better at it. We had a little 20-foot
lab that had to be approved by the state of Washington. We actually had our
engineers put together the plans and then got them approved by the state.
When we started the build, we had to go through subsequent inspections at each
stage of the build while the building was happening.
The first inspection went fairly well. By the time, the second
inspection happened, the state had changed their requirements and
inspector. The new state inspector traveled to Linked Equipment
Headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona to inspect it. He basically threw the plans in
the garbage and told us that the old building was not up to code. We had to
start over from scratch and it was an expensive education. But at the end of
the day, we learned a lot. We pulled our electrical engineers onsite to
help us for four or five months. We wound up rebuilding the lab from
start to finish and passed the more stringent inspection successfully.
After that trial by fire, our crews understood exactly what to do at every
step. 50 builds later much of it seems obvious to us, but the initial learning
curve for these builds is daunting and the results (if done incorrectly) can be
lethal.
There were some other important changes that we made during that
time that made a big difference.
We changed to a more specialized engineering firm that partners
with construction companies throughout the United States. They are
specialized in this work and they have seen everything under the sun.
That experience is why we have them doing all of our engineering and design
work. So, it is perfect every time! It was definitely difficult in
the beginning.
As we’ve gotten better, and more states are interested due to
legalization. It is moving forward across the nation, especially after
this past election. We look forward to doing more and more labs.
What Makes Linked Equipment Unique?
Bobby: Having seen other
companies out there trying to do the same thing, are there other things that
Linked equipment does differently or better? I mean, certainly your
experience in doing these complex builds like DC bathrooms and explosive labs,
shows that you have the chops to do that where not everyone could.
Mark: Oh, “Quality.” Quality
is our differentiator. We get calls frequently, and you know, sometimes
we lose jobs because we’re not the cheapest company on the block, we tend to
use better materials and we don’t skip steps when it comes to safety. For
example, we use metal instead of wood, sheet rock and texture instead of
panels. When you walk into our buildings, it’s like walking into a
regular office that you would use in any complex. I’d like to think that our
buildings are built the same, or better than, most of the commercial buildings
we visit.
Bobby:Can you give me an example?
Mark: Sure, for instance, a
lot of our competition is still stuck on the old-style barred HVAC systems
where they are attached to the buildings. They just blow air through one
area. We’ve made the move to a split system in which the blowers inside
the buildings are all computerized. They have sensors, and so they direct the
heater or cold air to the parts of the room that need it rather than an HVAC
system that just blows the air out. I think the split systems are more efficient,
they run better, I think you’re going to get a longer life out of them. They’re
quieter and work better. I can’t think of any reason why somebody would
want to go to that old style. We would move up to these new splits now
that they’re available in the market and we pass that capability the
customer.
Bobby: There are a thousand
things to consider (like HVAC) that go into a successful finished build.
Are you saying you put this much thought into everything?
Mark: Of course!
- If
we talk about sub-floors, when compared to plumbing in them, just like at
your house there’s no difference. I mean, we build these sub floors and
put all the piping in there and insulate before we cover it
up. - If
you look at plumbing, if you look at piping in packs, we like to use packs
that are ideal for transporting the containers. It’s not rigid. It’s not
as expensive as copper. I think they are nice things that we use in our
buildings that other people wouldn’t think of. - All
the pecs are anchored down to each steel to buy form of building.
It’s not going to go anywhere and will be there 30-40 years down the road.
- Pretty
much everything is industrial quality whether it be doors, steel studs, or
tracking. We don’t use wood. - We
reinforced everything. If we have anything that is wall hung whether
it be a toilet, TV, a sink; those are always reinforced. We go back
they’re usually 2×4 and reinforced the steel studs that are packed there.
That creates a lot of strength for whatever’s hanging on the walls.
- We
like to use tankless water heaters obviously; size is great importance
with these containers. So, without having a big 50- or 60-gallon water
heater there we use these tankless water heaters we hang them on the wall,
and they don’t take up any room and you know you’re off to the races. - We
use 5/8” sheetrock in fire rated buildings. - If
we get into a moisture area, whether it be a shower or something along
those lines, we might use green board instead of sheetrock for mold.
On top of that, we put a FRP which is a plastic sheet that goes on the
sheet rock, it can be wiped down, it’s just, it’s clean. It’s easy to
clean and can be used in hospitals kitchens, restrooms, so it’s something
we see a lot in our industrial buildings that takes a lot of extra effort,
but is totally worth doing that way because of durability, usability, and
a better end product for our customers. - In
every restroom we build we do it just like you would in any industrial
restroom, we use metal or plastic stalls and urinal screens, stuff of that
nature. Colors can be chosen by the client. So the difference is the
restroom you’d experience in a motor home compared to the standard
restroom you’d experience in a commercial office complex. - We
use a lot of fiberglass showers, that are easier for us to install, plus
they last a very long time. You are not going to get the durability
or comfort from other prefab bathrooms. We done a lot of them for
mining and military, and we have actually done lockers for
gyms. - In
the showers you might have a row of showers and a row of lockers with a
couple of benches included. They are more durable and better made because
they expect more traffic and use. Even if parts are a little more
expensive this route, it is better for the new owner in the long run.
- We use industrial quality floors. We
have static free floors have been great for the cannabis industry.
Industrial rubber floors have been great in kitchens, restrooms, and stuff
of that nature. - I
think almost all of our lights anymore are LED. - Our
electrical panels are the same as you would use at your home or industrial
building. - When
we get into restrooms and showers, we can our attention we can put all ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI)
through the building.
Bobby: What’s Are You Currently
Working On?
Mark: Due to easing of
restrictions around backyard homes(aka ADUs) we have created a small, medium,
large affordable home solution and are launching that to get information about
these units in front of the right people There’s a huge opportunity we believe,
where next generation will be able to utilize these buildings for living
quarters. And I don’t think that a lot of people are concerned about sizes as
much as they are about the homes or buildings working, working for them. I
think that’s going to be a huge opportunity for our company. As time
rolls on here, certainly something that we’re working on.
I think refrigeration units, we’ve just kind of played around with it a little bit but I
think as we move forward, I think refrigeration is going to be a
place where people are looking to store products and do it either in an
explosion proof atmosphere and or just seeking certain degrees.
- You
know, whether it be like the Pfizer medicine, I heard the other day is
wants to be stored at 80 below. - We’ve
got the cannabis industry, they’ve made some demands on us in the
past, where they’d like to see it 30 below. I know a lot of their machines
that they do an extraction. They’re working down to 80 below.
So those are some of the things that we are definitely going to be
working towards and hopefully be able to offer to our plants here in the
future.
Bobby: What’s Next?
Mark: Well, another thing we
are looking into is
- Expandable/collapsible
containers for easier shipping. We
were talking a company in Las Vegas taking a 20’long building and making
it collapsible so when they unfold it, it comes to be about 20 feet wide, ship it down the road, and
unfold it. And then all of a sudden, you got a 20x 20-foot building. So
those are things that are unique. And I could see in the future how, with
proper engineering, you could actually compact these buildings and ship
them off, and fold them up right into their full size. When you think
about it, it’s pretty, pretty cool that you can actually ship something
that’s smaller than once it gets there and expands within itself. And you
know, it doesn’t take any more shipping that get up there. So yeah, those
are some clever ideas.
- We’re
going to be looking at bringing in outside
advisors with experience in different industries that that can
offer their expertise into, into our business from something that they’ve
done. I think we’re looking at bringing four people on as advisors to help
us grow, make sure that the company goes in the right direction.
- Another
thing happening right now is expansion of our
facility in Phoenix, and/or buying a new facility
and developing that not quite sure but those are things to get our guys
the outdoors into a building where we can create some type of assembly
line would be in the future.
- Segmenting building solutions by industrywould help us have more
meaningful conversations with customers in each industry in terms of their
unique opportunities and challenges. Deeper industry knowledge makes
us a better vendor allowing us to see challenges and opportunities in each
industry. It means more clarification and accuracy in our messaging
to each industry.
- We
may build the same restrooms for customers in many different industries:
defense, Fed, SLED, cannabis industry, healthcare, agriculture, and the
rest. The regulations and requirements for the same building may be
very different across different industries. - Our
marketing capability to provide better information into each industry
will get better and we’ll be able to reach more people speaking their
industry’s language and provide a more useful solution because we have
the additional experience in that industry, and we took the time to learn
their language and issues.
We have buildings all up and down North America, two in Jamaica,
even North Africa. We’ve recently done proposals for Panama, Peru. We’re not
restricted to any one place to sell these buildings, so there is a lot of
interest.
