Can I visit the factory before placing an order?

Yes. We arrange both virtual and in-person tours, and we recommend you pick the date yourself and insist on a working day with production running. A tour hosted in an office rather than on the line tells you as much as the tour itself. We also encourage buyers to commission an independent third-party audit if the order value justifies it.

Is MODURA the factory, or a trading company?

Production runs through certified partner plants, each with its own certifications held in the plant operator's name. We state plainly which certificate is held by which entity and at which address the steel is cut. MODURA contracts with you for the whole delivery and is accountable for it, but you are entitled to know exactly which facility manufactures your modules.

How do you hold tolerances if the foundation is built by another contractor?

We hold frame squareness, diagonal and in-module dimensions to the stated factory tolerance, and those figures are documented on the FAT record. Foundation level, anchor-bolt position and slab flatness are site scope. An out-of-level slab is the single most common cause of a rejected module set, so we publish the foundation tolerance the site must meet before the first module ships.

What happens if a module is damaged in transit?

Risk passes at collection by default and is carried by the buyer's cargo policy, which is why we ask to see that a policy exists before we load. We design and document lifting points and transport restraint, and we record a load-out survey before dispatch. If you prefer us to carry transit risk, we can quote delivered-and-inspected instead.

Can you manufacture to US, EU and Gulf code requirements?

Yes, within the limits of the evidence each market accepts. US projects rely on the ICC-ES evaluated framing system plus a PE-stamped engineering package. EU projects rely on SGS CPR constant-of-performance certification. Different markets accept different evidence, and if a market requires proof we cannot yet provide we will say so at tender rather than commit and renegotiate later.

Will the quoted price change after I sign?

It will not move on scope we have defined. It can move on scope you add, on site conditions outside our control, and on freight if the delivery point changes. Our quotes name the factory/site scope boundary line by line and list every excluded item as excluded. A fixed lump sum that hides an unstated exclusion is not a fixed price, and we do not present one.

Factory & Production Capacity — MODURA Modular Construction

Production Network

Certified Partner Factories

Each partner operates documented quality systems and export logistics for modular projects worldwide.

Light Steel Frame / Container Modules / Structural Steel

East Asia — automated cold-formed LGS lines

ICC-ES ESR-5348 evaluated framing system

ISO 9001/14001/45001 certified QMS

Container Modules — South China

Container hotel & camp unit lines

Six production bases; permanent modular line added 2025

Recent US delivery: Soledad, California (2026 interim housing)

Serves: US, Middle East, Africa, Pacific

Structural Steel — East China

Hot-rolled steel frames & members

AISC-certified fabrication facilities

Heavy steel frames, composite structures, long-span envelope

Serves: US, Americas, Middle East, global

Production Process

Documented Quality Gates

Every module moves through staged production with defined quality gates at each step. Nothing moves forward until it passes.

MODURA factory production line showing steel frame modules moving through assembly stations

From Design to Dispatch

1. Design & submittals: Project drawings engineered to destination codes; document package compiled
2. Component fabrication: Steel frames and members fabricated under certified welding programs
3. Module assembly: Enclosure, insulation, and MEP routings assembled inside controlled fabrication halls
4. Finishes & fit-out: Fixtures, joinery, and MEP second fix completed before module dispatch
5. Factory acceptance: Photographic record and test documentation
6. Transport engineering: Loading plan, tie-down, shipping documentation
7. Site handover: Delivery coordination, connection support, commissioning readiness

Production Technology

Manufacturing-Grade Construction

Our partners apply the same precision disciplines that produce cars and aircraft to building production.

Automated Framing Lines

Partner lines use automated cold-formed steel production with in-line dimensional checking, so frames are consistent module after module.

Dimensional Control

Calibrated jigs and measurement gates hold tight tolerances across every module, verified at fabrication and final acceptance.

Documentation & BIM

Each module ships with its documentation package — installation drawing, material records, and test results.

Controlled Fabrication

Indoor production halls protect materials from weather, so quality and schedule don’t depend on the site outlook.

Certifications

Partner Certifications & Standards

Verifiable certifications held by MODURA’s manufacturing partners, each available on request.

ICC-ES Evaluation Report ESR-5348 certificate

ICC-ES ESR-5348

LGS framing system - IBC/IRC 2021 + CA/LA supplements
Holder: Ningbo DeepBlue Smarthouse (MODURA LGS partner)

ISO 9001 quality management certificate clarity

ISO 9001:2015

Quality management systems
Holder: Ningbo DeepBlue Smarthouse

ISO 14001:2015

Environmental management systems
Holder: Ningbo DeepBlue Smarthouse

ISO 45001 occupational health and safety certificate

ISO 45001:2018

Occupational health and safety management
Holder: Ningbo DeepBlue Smarthouse

SGS Certificate of Constancy of Performance

SGS CPR Certificate

Constancy of performance, EN 14350 - light gauge steel framing
Holder: Yibing Qiaoer Housing (MODURA container-module partner)

Intertek Warnock Hersey fire resistance test report

Intertek WH Fire Test

Fire resistance test, loadbearing steel stud panel (ISO 3008-1)
Holder: Yibing Qiaoer Housing (MODURA container-module partner)

SGS steel chemical composition test report

SGS Steel Test Report

Q355B structural steel chemical composition analysis
Holder: Yibing Qiaoer Housing (MODURA container-module partner)

CQC Green Building Materials

China Quality Certification product certification
Holder: Ningbo DeepBlue Smarthouse

CQC Steel Products

China Quality Certification for steel framing products
Holder: Ningbo DeepBlue Smarthouse

Capacity

Production Capacity by Partner Base

Four production bases built the projects currently in the field. Capacity is stated per base so you can judge whether your programme fits a real line schedule or depends on a base being free in a particular month.

Partner base	System built	Module output	Certification held	Best suited to
Ningbo — LGS framing	Light gauge steel volumetric modules	8–12 modules per week	ICC-ES ESR-5348; ISO 9001 / 14001 / 45001; CQC green building & steel	Multi-storey residential and hospitality where US or Canadian code compliance is required at approval
Yibing — container modules	Container-based modules, hotel and camp units	14–20 units per week	SGS CPR EN 14350; Intertek WH fire test (ISO 3008-1); SGS Q355B steel report	Hospitality and workforce accommodation where high unit throughput matters more than bespoke geometry
East China — structural steel	Hot-rolled steel frames and long-span envelope	Project-based; 400–900 t per programme	AISC-certified fabrication	Heavy industrial, large clear-span and hybrid projects where modules sit on a primary steel frame
South China — container hotel lines	Container hotel and camp modules	12–18 units per week	Partner QMS; module-level FAT records	Export programmes to the Middle East, Africa and the Pacific where shipping windows drive the schedule

Two practical consequences follow from this structure. First, a large programme can be split across bases running in parallel — a 44-module hotel is routinely split between the LGS and container lines, with each base producing the module type it builds most efficiently. Second, the line a project occupies is booked, not assumed: the realistic question is not “can you build forty modules” but “which weeks are free on the relevant line”, which is why factory slot reservation appears as a milestone on our delivery programme. The programme mechanics of reserving a line are covered in construction scheduling.

Tolerance

What “Precision” Means in Millimetres

Every modular supplier claims factory precision. These are the numbers that claim has to produce, and the reason they matter on a site 8,000 km from the line.

Element	Factory tolerance	Typical site-built equivalent	Why the gap matters
Module external dimensions	±2 mm over 12 m	±10–15 mm	Modules stack and abut directly. Accumulated error across a 20-module run is the difference between a closed joint and a bespoke infill panel.
Frame squareness (diagonal)	±3 mm	±12–20 mm	A racked module will not accept a neighbouring module’s wall, and the error was locked in at frame stage.
Floor level over 6 m	±2 mm	±8–12 mm	Determines whether finished flooring and joinery can be factory-installed or must be fitted on site at several times the cost.
Wall plumb, full height	±2 mm	±6–10 mm	Factory-fitted kitchens, wardrobes and bathroom pods are set out from the wall. Outside tolerance, every unit becomes a site modification.
Opening positions for MEP penetrations	±1.5 mm	Site-marked	Inter-module services connect module to module. A misplaced entry point is a cut into a completed wall.
Envelope airtightness, as built	1.5–3.0 m³/h/m² at 50 Pa	4–8 m³/h/m²	Measured at FAT while the frame is still accessible. This number cannot be recovered on site once the building is closed up.

Tolerance is the mechanism behind factory quality, not a boast about it. Each of these figures is verified by calibrated measurement at a named production station, and a module that misses any of them does not progress — which is what the staged gates are for. If a supplier quotes precision but cannot tell you the station at which each figure is measured, the claim is a brochure line. The inspection regime behind these numbers, and what a failed gate costs, are set out on our quality page; the tolerances a finished module must meet on foundations are explained in how a project is delivered. For the standards bodies behind these certificates, see our guide to MBI certification and standards.

Verification

How to Verify a Factory Before You Place an Order

Six checks that separate a genuine production facility from a trading company that subcontracted your building. All six can be completed before you commit to a purchase order, and none of them require you to fly anywhere.

1. Match the certificate holder to the factory

A certificate is only evidence about the entity named on it. ICC-ES ESR-5348 is held by Ningbo DeepBlue Smarthouse, not by MODURA — and we say so on the certificate itself and in the verification notes below each one. Ask any supplier who holds each certificate and at which address the steel is actually cut.

2. Ask for the station list

A real production line has a defined sequence of stations with a hold point at each. Ask for it in writing. A supplier describing an order of operations rather than named stations is usually describing a process on paper that nobody is measuring.

3. Request a FAT record from a completed project

Not a blank template — a completed record with measurements in it, from a module already delivered. A factory that cannot produce one has either not tested at that level or cannot release the evidence.

4. Verify the reference project addresses

The South China base delivered interim housing at Soledad, California in 2026. Reference projects are checkable addresses, and how to verify one independently is set out on our projects page. Treat an unverifiable reference as no reference.

5. Confirm who signs the shipping documents

The exporter of record should be the entity that built the modules. If the certificate of origin is issued by one company and the mill certificates name another, you have a supply chain with an unaccounted link in it — and the FAT record will be from a factory you have never seen.

6. Ask for a live factory tour, then pick the date

Virtual or in person, on a working day, with production running. A tour scheduled for a quiet period, or hosted in an office rather than on the line, tells you as much as the tour itself. Request one through our contact page and specify a date you choose. The contract stage that follows is covered in our RFP and procurement guide and insurance and risk management guide.

Scope & Risk

Who Owns What at the Factory Boundary

Most disputes on a modular contract are not about quality. They are about the line between factory scope and site scope, and which party carries the cost when that line was never written down. This table is the one we attach to every quotation.

Interface	Factory Scope (Partner Plant)	Site Scope (Buyer or Main Contractor)	The Decision That Settles It
Structural frame	Cold-formed LGS or hot-rolled steel frame, welded, jigged and dimensionally checked against the setting-out drawing	Foundations, anchor bolts, grout, and the survey that sets the datum the frame lands on	Whether the factory holds the frame tolerance or the foundation. We hold frame squareness and diagonal; the foundation tolerance is the site's, and an out-of-level slab is the single most common cause of a rejected module set.
Envelope and weather seal	Factory-fitted walls, roof, windows, doors, and the sealant lines sealed to tested joints	Final seal at the module-to-module and module-to-foundation line after setting	Where the warranty attaches. The tested seal is factory; the post-set interface seal is site, and someone must be named to inspect it before handover.
MEP rough-in and tie-in	In-module electrical circuits, plumbing rough-in, HVAC units, panels and controls, tested and tagged at FAT	Interconnecting runs between modules, mains connection, incoming supply and utility permits	Who owns the inter-module connection and the first energisation. We deliver a tested in-module system terminated at a marked junction box; the runs between boxes and the supply point are site scope unless priced separately.
Fire stopping	Fire-rated assemblies within the module and fire-stopping at factory joints, documented to the tested system	Fire stopping at the module-to-module and penetration interfaces introduced on site	This is the interface most often left unowned. We name it explicitly: any penetration or joint created after the module leaves the factory is the site's to seal and certify to the same rating.
Damage in transit	Packing, lifting points, transport restraint design and load-out survey	Marine or road insurance from the point of collection, and receipt inspection	Who carries the risk once the module is on the truck. Default is the buyer's cargo policy from collection; we can price to delivered-and-inspected if the client prefers.
Site acceptance	Factory acceptance testing (FAT) records, snag list closed before dispatch	Site acceptance testing (SAT), final connection, commissioning and handover documentation	Whether FAT closes the quality obligation or SAT does. Our position: FAT proves the module left us correct; SAT confirms it arrived and connected correctly, and both records are handed over.

The commercial terms that sit behind this table are set out in our RFP and procurement guide, and the insurance and liability layer is covered in our insurance and risk management guide. If a scope boundary is still unresolved at contract, our rule is simple: it is priced as site scope, in writing, rather than assumed.

Cost Drivers

What Actually Moves a Factory Price

Two quotations for the same drawing can differ by 30% and neither is dishonest. These are the six variables that create the gap, in the order they usually matter, so a buyer can compare offers on substance rather than on headline number.

Variable	Low-Cost End	High-Cost End	Typical Effect on Unit Price
Frame system	Cold-formed light gauge steel (LGS)	Hot-rolled structural steel	Structural steel can add 20–45% to the frame line, justified by spans, loads and height rather than by quality.
Finishing level	Shell: frame, envelope, rough-in, primed	Turnkey: fitted bathrooms, kitchens, flooring, decorated	Fit-out is the largest single swing. A turnkey pod can carry 2–3× the shell cost of the same floor area.
Module size and transport legality	Standard 3.0 m wide units on flatbed	Over-width units requiring escorts and permits	Maximising floor area per module is the biggest cost lever, but only up to the transport envelope. Beyond it, permits and escorts can consume the saving.
Quantity and repetition	One-off bespoke module	Repeated identical units	Repetition across 20+ identical modules is where factory economics beat site building. A one-off modular unit rarely does.
Certification scope	Framing-system evaluation only	Full structural, fire and code-compliance package for the target market	US, EU and Gulf markets each demand different evidence. The certificate pack is a hard cost, not an optional extra.
Delivery distance	Within 500 km of the port	Beyond 1,500 km, or inland to a constrained site	Freight and crane standing time can erode the erection saving on distant inland projects. We state this openly in the quote rather than burying it.

For the per-square-foot breakdown behind these variables, see our guide to modular construction total cost planning and the cost per square foot analysis.

Before You Sign

Questions We Are Asked Before Every Factory Order

Six questions that come up in almost every factory order, answered the way we would answer them in the meeting. Where the honest answer is uncomfortable, we give it anyway.

Can you build exactly to my architect's drawings?

Yes, within the module envelope. The constraint is not the drawing, it is transport: a module wider than 3.5 m or longer than 13.5 m triggers permits, escorts or a different delivery mode. We will tell you at tender where a design crosses that line and what it costs to cross it, rather than after the order is placed.

Who is the manufacturer, and who am I contracting with?

Production runs through certified partner plants, and each certificate names its holder. We state plainly which certificate is held by which entity and at which address. You contract with MODURA and we are accountable for the whole delivery, but you are entitled to know which plant cuts your steel.

What if a module arrives damaged?

Transit damage is a real risk on any export. We design lifting points and transport restraint, and we record a load-out survey before dispatch. Risk passes at collection by default and is carried by the buyer's cargo policy, which is why we ask to see that the policy exists before we load. We can price delivered-and-inspected if you prefer we carry it.

How do I know the price will not move after I sign?

It will not move on scope we have defined. It can move on scope you add, on site conditions outside our control, and on freight if the delivery point changes. Our quotes name the scope boundary line by line, and any excluded item is listed as excluded. A fixed lump sum that hides an unstated exclusion is not a fixed price.

Can you meet a code I have never heard you quote before?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no, and the answer depends on whether the target market accepts an evaluated framing system or requires a local engineer's stamp. We have delivered to US, EU, Middle East and Pacific markets under different regimes. If your market needs evidence we cannot yet provide, we will say so at tender rather than commit and renegotiate.

What happens after the modules are set?

Site acceptance testing, final connection and commissioning are site scope by default, but our FAT records travel with the module so your site team is testing against a documented baseline. If you want a single point of responsibility through commissioning, we can price that too. The default split is in the table above; nothing is assumed silently.

What We Decline

We will not quote a fixed lump sum for a design we have not seen. We will not accept a contract where the factory/site responsibility boundary is left to be "agreed later". We will not certify a penetrations or connections created on site by another party. And we will not hide a freight or certification cost inside a headline number to look cheaper than we are.

Where Precision Meets Scale