Pontotoc Sands Company has invested in new storage facilities totalling approximately 20,000t in capacity, due to the increased demand for frac sand near El Reno, Oklahoma.

The company chose a fabric building for the expansion based on the flexibility of flat storage, as well as previous experience with fabric buildings. After researching suppliers, they chose a steel-framed building from Legacy Building Solutions.

Pontotoc Sands owner Josh Lehde said: "We chose the Legacy building after finding their website.

"We liked the solid frame and the construction method used on their buildings."

Fracking is a fast-moving industry, so speed of construction was a priority, as well as cost and the ability to relocate the building in the future.

Lehde added: "I like these fabric structures, they are cost-effective to put up, you can put them just about anywhere and you can move them to a new location as our hotspots change."

Less than two months elapsed between Lehde’s first contact with Legacy and installation being completed.

The finished building was from Legacy’s Eco series. Eco-buildings use a solid steel frame and a single sheet of 15oz polyethylene fabric for the roof and walls.

The cover is double-layered and laced to the frame, which prevents friction from damaging the fabric. This method means a lower cost and faster installation than traditional buildings.

Legacy and Pontotoc partnered together to design and build the structure for maximum efficiency.

The building uses a 10ft-high cast-in-place concrete wall foundation, a choice that allows the company to pile and load their sand.

A 20ft-wide, 25ft-high rolling steel coil overhead door makes the building accessible to heavy equipment, while fixed-blade aluminum louvers provide ventilation throughout the structure.

After the design was completed, Legacy dispatched a crew to install the building, as well as two other fabric buildings that Pontotoc had purchased but never installed.

The partnership between the two companies meant a smooth process.

Lehde noted: "We had clear expectations, we prepped the site, there were a few days before it shipped, and once the crews arrived we were pretty hands-off."

Please contact Legacy Building Solutions via the enquiries form for more information.