LIGHT MANUFACTURING BUILDING CHARACTERISTICS

Do to the functional flexibility of light manufacturing facilities – the ability to manufacture, warehouse and distribute,  light manufacturing  buildings are constructed more often than any other type of manufacturing facilities and types.  Light manufacturing is the most diverse type within the manufacturing category.  Tenant use is also varied.  Light manufacturing buildings have more car parking and lower site coverage than warehouse distribution buildings.  These facilities also have a higher average ratio of square feet to one dock.  The higher average ratio can be misleading in identifying light manufacturing buildings because of an overlap in ratios between light manufacturing and warehouse distribution.

Average light manufacturing buildings have ceiling heights similar to those of regional warehouses (16 feet to 24 feet) and a building size similar to that of bulk warehousing.  Size, loading, ceiling heights, power, and build-out are clear identifying features of light manufacturing buildings.

Light manufacturing buildings are smaller in size than heavy manufacturing facilities.  In general, they do not exceed 300,000 square feet, which is the average size of heavy manufacturing buildings.  A manufacturing building smaller than 100,000 square feet is more likely to be classified as light manufacturing. 

The loading requirements of light manufacturing buildings have both similarities and differences with other manufacturing facility types.  The dual mode of truck and rail transport is a feature shared with other manufacturing facilities.  Light manufacturing buildings utilize trucks for product flow.  These facilities have a higher frequency of product flow than other types of manufacturing buildings.  As a result, the average square feet to docks ratio ranges from 10,000 square feet to 15,000 square  feet to one dock.  This ratio is similar to warehouse distribution buildings.  Light manufacturing  buildings rely significantly less on rail transport than heavy manufacturing buildings.

Light manufacturing buildings have an average site coverage of 40% or slightly less.  The lower site coverage is due to high car parking requirement of the facilities.

Light manufacturing facilities have three types of space build out:  manufacturing, warehouse and office.  Typically the manufacturing covers 50% to 75% of a light manufacturing building.  The remaining 25 to 50 percent is allocated to warehouse and office space.  Office build out rarely exceeds 20 percent of an entire building.  Light manufacturing buildings are commonly divided into multiple units.  All manufacturing buildings have high power requirements, the average for these facilities is 2,000 amps.