Great-Grandpa Would be Proud
You can bet that when Philip Dorland Sprung threw an old piece of canvas over the back of his chuck wagon more than 125 years ago to keep his supplies dry, he never imagined that someday his method of protecting his valuables would turn into a business.
In fact, all that Sprung was interested in doing when covering his wagon back in the late 1800s was protecting his supplies from getting wet and damaged. Mother Nature was a harsh enemy and surviving her many moods was one of Sprung’s greater challenges.
As time went on and more and more settlers headed west, they too, quickly learned of the need for protection from the elements and that’s when Philip Sprung saw an opportunity to not only sell wagon covers, but also canvas for teepees, and eventually material for clothing and even mattresses and bedding.
By 1887, the demand for Sprung’s canvas products had grown sufficiently enough to warrant the launch of Sprung Structures and today, more than 125 years later, the name Sprung is still synonymous with “protection and innovation.”
The Sprung Group of Companies is still a family-run operation, now under a fourth generation of management, and that, according to President Philip Donald Sprung, is the way his great grandfather, Philip Dorland Sprung, would have liked it.
“By keeping the business in the family has enabled us to maintain a hands-on, high-level of quality control because, not only is the Sprung name on the front of our buildings, there’s also a deep sense of “pride” associated with it because it’s on our products too,” said Sprung.
In keeping with his great grandfather’s use of stretched canvas, Sprung Instant Structures Ltd continues with the concept of providing innovative building solutions but today, however, its stressed membrane panels use modern architectural materials that far superior to canvas in terms of strength and versatility.
In fact, the engineered tension-membranes used by Sprung have a tensile strength that enables them to be stretched up to 1,500 psf over a clear span of as much as 200 feet. And, just as the cover materials have changed over the years, so too have the structural components that support the protective membranes.
The use of bent branches and later, wooden slats and long narrow beams are long gone from the pioneering days of the 1880s and now, Sprung Instant Structures uses only its own patented aluminum frames as the skeletal spine for its structures.
Because the aluminum is lightweight and easily transportable, the structures have gained in popularity, especially with the mining community because they are fitted and bolted together rather than welded, and can be re-used and easily moved around sites as the mine expands.
Jim Avery, a vice-president with Sprung, says that in addition to portability, one of the key reasons for the popularity of the structures with the mining community is the temperature control thanks to the insulated sandwich design between the ribs of the aluminum frame.
“Structural beams are typically about twelve inches in depth and when fiberglass is sandwiched between the exterior architectural membrane and an interior membrane with a reflective foil backing, insulating values of up to R-30 are easily achieved,” says Avery.
Although the structures may appear to be held together by only a flexible membrane, Avery says the key to the strength of the buildings is in the aluminum framework and that damage to one or more arches or fabric panels will not reduce the stability or load-carrying capacity of the structure.
“Sprung is the inventor of the stressed membrane structure which was designed and engineered as a result of input from mining and oil and gas companies who challenged Phil Sprung to invent a tent that wouldn’t blow down, that could meet harsh environmental conditions, as well be erected quickly in remote regions of Canada, said Avery.
“This technology was patented in the late 1970s and was quickly embraced by a wide-range of clients needing an immediate cost-effective building solution. Since that time, Sprung has shipped over 12,000 structures to more than 92 countries worldwide.”
Because mining companies require structures in remote locations that can be built and erected under rigid construction timelines, with various foundation requirement options, the relocatable design makes them a very good solution for the ever-changing needs at mine sites.
As already mentioned, the structures adapt quickly to mining needs as they arise and Avery says the applications range from haul truck maintenance facilities to on-site warehousing and bulk storage shelters. In addition, the optional fiberglass insulation package mentioned earlier provides a building solution that can be erected quickly for personnel needing on-site offices, core sampling solutions as well as safety meeting and dining facilities.
Many of Sprung’s mining structures have been disassembled and reconfigured at mine sites when needs change. Additionally, on shorter-term applications, Sprung structures can be leased from 1 month to 5 years with an option to purchase
“The mining industry is extremely important to Sprung and we’re proud of our reputation and relationship within the mining community. Our customers appreciate that when they order our product, it will be shipped and erected on time and they have complete confidence in our engineering. We are responding quickly to both domestic and international projects,” says Avery.
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