This past December, storms with strong winds roared through Iowa. The gusts blew the roof off a number of farmers’ barns, leaving essential machinery and vulnerable livestock exposed to the elements. The next day, Spahn & Rose delivered agricultural steel to many customers, enabling them to protect their vital equipment and animals.
As a leading supplier of ag steel in the Midwest, Spahn & Rose continually works with its vendor partners, such as Metal Sales, to ensure quick delivery of high-quality ag-steel products. In addition, Spahn & Rose ag-steel experts provide design services to create blueprints for any type of ag-steel building.
In a typical year, Spahn & Rose supplies and helps design hundreds of agricultural-steel projects throughout Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. These buildings range from pole barns for working farms, enclosures for farm machinery such as combines and shouses that serve as additional living space or a man cave.
“Ag steel isn’t just for farmers anymore,” says Tony Ostwinkle, General Manager of the Edgewood, Iowa, Spahn & Rose. “There’s a lot of diverse uses, and ag steel is being used more and more in residential and commercial buildings.”
Here, Ostwinkle shares eight benefits of a Spahn & Rose–designed, pre-engineered ag-steel building:
- Increased living space. One recent trend gaining traction is using ag steel to construct mixed-use structures. One part of such a building provides equipment storage, for example, and another might be used for living space or a man cave. Ag steel is also popular for shouse construction, in which part of the building is a living space and another part is a workshop.
- Protection from elements and insects. With ag steel, homeowners and farmers don’t have to worry about mold, pests or most maintenance.
- Environmentally friendly. Another plus is how environmentally friendly ag steel is. It’s often made from recycled steel and can itself be recycled if it needs to be replaced.
- Wide variety of colors. Ag-steel manufacturers produce a variety of colors, gauges and even textures. Homeowners or farmers can match ag steel to existing buildings or select from a wide range of colors for new pole barns that can protect machinery or livestock from the elements. Available colors and textures include smooth, high-gloss or textured steel. Ag steel can also be in a camouflage pattern or made to look like brick.
- Fewer supply chain hassles. Spahn & Rose relies on ag-steel manufacturers with factories within the United States, so supply chain problems affecting other types of building materials haven’t hurt ag steel as much. Throughout the pandemic, ag-steel delivery has remained consistent, Ostwinkle says.
- Quick to build. Construction of an ag-steel building is typically faster than for other types of structures. A Spahn & Rose designer can create pole barn or other ag-steel building blueprints within a week. Once all the materials arrive, construction typically takes about a week or two, depending on the ag-steel building’s size and complexity.
- Customized to specific needs. Spahn & Rose also designs ag-steel buildings to customers’ exact needs. For example, Ostwinkle specializes in ag-steel buildings for livestock. Such structures often must include specialized ventilation as a component of their design.
- Easy design, ordering process. Whether or not you already have designs for your new pole barn or ag-steel building, Spahn & Rose ag-steel experts will walk you through the process every step of the way. They can assist with design and material pricing and even connect you with contractors who specialize in ag-steel buildings. Schedule your estimate today with a Spahn & Rose ag-steel expert.