the specialists
The Modular Equalizers
JTS Modular has emerged as one of California’s top
modular-construction firms by matching the results
of site-built construction
Modular buildings are hallmarks of most campuses,
At a Glance
Location
Bakersfield, CA
Founded
1998
Employees
80–120
Specialty
Innovative, high-quality,
custom modular solutions
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providing permanent, high-quality, cost-efficient
solutions for schools and companies in need of additional
space. And since its inception in 1998, JTS Modular, Inc.
has cornered this market in Southern California.
The company, based in Bakersfield, California, was
formed as an affiliate of JTS Construction, a general
contractor specializing in school construction. “JTS
identified a significant quality gap between what it was
building as a conventional-building contractor and what
modular-building manufacturers were building,”
company president Phillip Engler says. “We asked
ourselves why school districts would demand such high
quality in their conventional buildings but accept such
low quality in their modular buildings. We discovered
that the answer was that school districts didn’t have a
choice; there was a lack of modular manufacturers in
the market building to those exacting standards.”
JTS aims to provide its clients with permanent
modular structures that have the same 50-year life span
and architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical
design elements of conventionally built structures. The
firm also oftentimes couples its innovative work with JTS
Construction to provide a complete project solution for
its customers.
“[The difference] between modular construction
and conventional construction is only in the process
of construction,” vice president of sales and marketing
Adam Engler says. “For us, the product is the same in
either case—both in quality and aesthetics.” Modular
construction also saves the owner 30–50 percent and
cuts the construction time in half, he adds.
American Builders Quarterly
the specialists
“We consider it the highest form
of compliment to be invited to do
another job for a customer.”
Phillip Engler, President
Top 4 Advantages of Modular Engineering
in an Educational Setting
1 The school districts save 30–50 percent on construction
costs because materials are used more economically and construction time is cut in half compared to conventional engineering.
2 The projects are aesthetically pleasing, oftentimes passing
for conventional buildings.
Thanks to its strong reputation, the company
easily acquires both new and repeat business, working
with an array of different schools across California.
“The success of the company is really pretty simple,”
Phillip says. “We find out what the customer really
wants; customize a plan to deliver that; and keep our
promises regarding quality, timeliness, and cost.”
One of the firm’s recent projects called for a
partnership with JTS Construction to build a new
elementary campus for 850 students in the Kerman
Unified School District. The project entailed 46,000
square feet of permanent modular classrooms, a
10,000-square-foot permanent modular administration
building, and a 13,000-square-foot multipurpose
building. “We designed the modular buildings and
matched the modular administration building to the
architect’s original design,” Adam says, noting that
they were able to save the school district $5 million.
JTS has also worked extensively to provide modular
solutions on multiple projects for the Oro Grande School
District. “Oro Grande is a perfect example of how our
projects develop into long-term relationships,” Phillip
says. “We consider it the highest form of compliment to
be invited to do another job for a customer.”
In addition to classroom wings and other modular
facilities, the company also has recently completed
americanbuildersquarterly.com
3 Modular engineering incorporates and results in
innovations including concrete floors, photovoltaic solar paneling,
and slab-on-grade buildings, to name a few.
4 Contemporary modular construction is so high-quality
that structures built using it have a 50-year lifespan equal to those
done with site-built construction.
construction on four complete campuses. The projects
included charter schools, public schools, and a community college campus, and they were completed over the
span of a year, each of them ready in time for a fall 2011
opening.
Reflecting on its success in the modular field, the
company says it’s most proud of the fact that many people
can’t even tell its buildings are modular. “Our favorite
comment—and one that we hear on nearly every job
we do—is that our buildings are indistinguishable
from conventional site-built structures,” Adam says.
“Very often we hear, ‘I’ve been by this building so many
times and would have never guessed it was a modular
building.’” —Lisa Ryan
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