Your drawings, our production line

Overview

Custom is not a separate product. It is what happens when a buyer arrives with drawings, a use case, or a fleet need that does not fit the four catalog families. The same hall in Bánovce nad Bebravou cuts, welds, blasts and paints the unit. The difference is at the front of the process. Before the first plate is cut, our engineering team reviews the drawings against EN 1090-1 EXC2 execution requirements, develops the weld procedures, and returns a fixed price and a fixed lead time. The customer signs off shop drawings and a bill of materials. Only then does steel hit the laser.

This family is how most of our defense, public security and industrial OEM work runs. The Slovak MoD framework, the Czech 25-040 emergency programme, the UK 90-unit project with widths from 2438 to 2990 mm, and subcontract relationships with Ploeger, Kleemann, Rheinmetall MAN, Doll and Langzauner all sit inside this engagement model. The buyer brings a specification. We bring the production line, the welders, the paint booth and the documentation. If the unit is not a container at all but a welded steel sub-assembly, a frame, a skid or a tank section, the same line handles it under the same EN 1090 chain.

Construction and materials

A custom build inherits the construction language of whichever catalog family is closest, then deviates wherever the spec calls for it. Common defaults:

• Frame: hot-rolled structural steel (S235 to S355 typical), welded to EN ISO 3834-2, integrated into the EN 1090-1 EXC2 chain. EN 10204 3.1 mill certificates on every heat-traceable plate and section.
• Body: 1.6 to 2.0 mm corrugated steel or flat plate, weathering grade or hot-dip galvanised per spec.
• Doors and openings: cam-locking gear, double end doors, side doors, full open-side, roller shutter, personnel doors, vehicle entry.
• Floor: 28 mm marine plywood, steel checkered plate, diamond plate, anti-slip resin or PIR insulated cassette.
• Insulation: PIR sandwich or mineral wool where the use case requires it. Wall and roof thickness proposed against the heat load and fire spec.
• Paint: surface prepared to ISO 8501 Sa 2.5. Two-coat system rated C3 (EN ISO 12944), or C4 / C5 on request. Hot-dip galvanising as a pre-step on request.
• Livery: any RAL code. RAL 3000 (HaZZ red), RAL 5010 (gentian blue), RAL 7016 (anthracite) and the NATO three-tone livery are run regularly.
• Electrical: PN-HD 60364 low-voltage. CEE inlets, IP65 fittings, RCD protection, lighting and heating circuits to the buyer's load schedule.

Dimensions and tolerances

Custom builds do not carry a single dimension table. The envelope is set by the buyer's drawings. For orientation, the most common starting points are:

| | Standard | Common custom range | | --- | --- | --- | | External length | 6058 / 12 192 mm | 3000 to 14 000 mm | | External width | 2438 mm | 2200 to 2990 mm | | External height | 2591 / 2896 mm | 2400 to 3200 mm | | Wall and roof finish | Corrugated | Corrugated, flat plate, sandwich panel | | Floor live load | Catalog spec | Specified per use case |

The UK 90-unit programme is a strong reference for over-width work, with SALONKA-type units delivered in widths from 2438 mm up to 2990 mm. Dimensional tolerances are held to EN 1090-2 Table D.1 for the steelwork and to ISO 668 where the unit is intended for intermodal transport. Final FARO Arm Prime 10 3D measurement is taken on the first article of every new spec, and on a sample of subsequent units, to confirm geometry against the signed-off drawing.

Certifications and norms

The execution class is the headline. Tanax operates under EN 1090-1 EXC2 capability with welding production-level qualification to EN ISO 3834-2. The following are run on the same line and can be activated for a custom build:

• EN 1090-1 EXC2 (execution class for steel structures)
• EN ISO 3834-2 (welding, production-level)
• EN ISO 9606 welder qualification (MAG 135 and related processes)
• ISO 8501 Sa 2.5 (surface preparation)
• EN ISO 12944 C3 to C5 (corrosivity protection)
• EN 10204 3.1 mill certificates on traceable steel
• ISO 9001 quality, ISO 14001 environmental
• AQAP 2110:2017 for NATO and military-cleared work
• CSC plate (Container Safety Convention) where the unit is intended for intermodal handling
• Slovak Defense Trade License and Military Aviation Vendor Approval for cleared programmes
• NSPA NATO CAGE 4094M for defense supply

For higher-risk structures the execution class can be lifted toward EXC3 on a project basis. This requires a pre-project review and is priced separately.

Typical use cases

1. Defense and military fleet. Slovak MoD framework units, NATO supplier work, ARMADA-type accommodation, command, workshop and storage modules. Cleared livery, AQAP 2110 documentation, secure handover.
2. Subcontract under prime. European steel and integration partner under your prime contract. EN 1090 EXC2 fabrication, paint and assembly to your QA, with your serials on every plate. Examples: Ploeger agricultural, Kleemann conveyors, Rheinmetall MAN strategic-partner work, Doll, Langzauner.
3. Public security and emergency response. HaZZ-type sanitary, laundry, septic, water and fuel tank platforms in RAL 3000 livery. Recent reference: Czech 25-040 emergency accommodation in EXC2 steel with EI30 fire resistance and RAL 5010 frame.
4. Industrial OEM modules. Welded skids, frames, control rooms and process modules built to your engineering documentation, painted in your house RAL, shipped EXW or DAP.
5. Retail, hospitality and leisure. One-off architectural builds and brand activations. Reference: MELIDA 22-container two-floor staff accommodation at Špindlerův Mlýn, 6058 by 2990 by 2800 mm external, internal height 2500 mm, REI 30 fire resistance, C3 paint, RAL 7016 frame, PIR sandwich walls and roof, electric heating, 2.6 kW AC per cell.
6. Cleantech and carbon. Specialist welded vessels and silos under NDA. Reference: Neustark AG carbon mineralisation silos, NDA signed September 2025.
7. Export to non-EU markets. Reference: UK 90-unit SALONKA-type containers in widths from 2438 to 2990 mm.

Customisation options

Anything we can cut, weld, blast and paint inside the hall can be specified. Common deviation routes from the catalog baseline:

• Envelope and frame: non-ISO widths up to 2990 mm, non-standard heights, multiple-bay frames, bolted demountable sections for transport on standard trailers.
• Coating: hot-dip galvanising before paint, C5-M paint for offshore or coastal use, anti-graffiti topcoat, two-tone or three-tone NATO livery.
• Openings: vehicle roller shutter, full open-side, double end doors, side personnel door, vision panels, weapon ports, ballistic glazing where the use case allows.
• Fit-out: workshop benches, gun racks, server racks, kitchenettes, en-suite WC and shower, command-post desks, lockers, cable trays and conduit pre-installed to drawing.
• Electrical and HVAC: CEE inlets, ATS panels, generator-ready inlets, split AC, electric heating, PIR sensor lighting, camera and intrusion-detection prep.
• Tanks and plumbing: integrated septic and water tanks, fuel containment, bunded floor pans, oil-water separator prep.
• Mobility: trailer chassis sub-assemblies, skid frames with forklift pockets, twist-lock corner castings, four-point lifting plates proof-loaded to spec.
• Documentation pack: CE technical file, EN 1090 declaration of performance, EN 10204 3.1 certificates per heat, weld maps, paint thickness reports, FARO measurement reports, multilingual operator manuals.

Lead time and delivery

Custom work runs on a 10 to 16 week schedule from signed-off drawings to ex works dispatch.

• Specification and NDA: within 24 hours of first contact when drawings are sensitive.
• Quotation: 3 to 10 working days depending on complexity, with a fixed price and lead time.
• Engineering: shop drawings, BOM, weld procedures (WPS and PQR), customer sign-off gate before steel is cut.
• Production: 8 to 14 weeks for a single unit or short batch. Hot-dip galvanising as a pre-step adds 1 to 2 weeks.
• Delivery: EXW Bánovce nad Bebravou as default. DAP and DDP on request, with CMR, CSC plate (where applicable), declaration of performance, mill certificates and multilingual manuals on handover.
• Framework call-off: rare for one-off custom builds. On multi-year programmes, the call-off cycle is held to the framework schedule, with engineering and weld qualifications done once and production compressed for subsequent batches.

FAQ

Can you sign an NDA before we share drawings? Yes. We sign a one-way or mutual NDA within 24 hours of first contact, before any drawing or commercial detail leaves your side. The Neustark AG carbon mineralisation programme and several defense programmes run this way. The NDA stays in force across engineering, quotation, production and any follow-on call-off.

Do you build to our QA system or yours? Either. Tanax operates ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 3834-2 and AQAP 2110:2017 in-house, with EN 1090-1 EXC2 capability. For subcontract work under a prime, we accept the prime's QA documentation and inspection points on top of our own. This is how the Ploeger, Kleemann, Rheinmetall MAN, Doll and Langzauner relationships run.

What does the customer sign-off gate cover? The gate sits after engineering and before production. It packages shop drawings, BOM, weld procedures (WPS and PQR), paint specification, electrical schedule and inspection plan into one signed-off release. Once closed, steel is cut and the schedule locks. Changes after the gate are handled as variation orders.

Can the unit be hot-dip galvanised end-to-end? Yes, on the structural frame and on individual sub-assemblies that fit the galvaniser's bath. Corrugated body panels and bolted accessories are specified separately. We coordinate the galvaniser, transit and post-galv touch-up paint as one package. Add 1 to 2 weeks to the lead time.

Do you supply mill certificates and weld documentation? Yes. EN 10204 3.1 mill certificates are supplied on traceable steel as standard. Weld procedure specifications (WPS) and procedure qualification records (PQR) are documented per EN ISO 15614-1 and supplied on request. Welder qualifications to EN ISO 9606 are traceable to the welder ID stamped on each major weld.

Will you run a first-article inspection? Yes. On every new custom spec the first unit is measured on the FARO Arm Prime 10 against the signed-off drawing, paint thickness is checked, weld map is signed off, and the report is shared with the buyer before serial production starts. For longer programmes we agree a sampling rate inside the project plan.

Can you deliver beyond Slovakia? Yes. EXW Bánovce nad Bebravou is the default term. DAP and DDP across the EU, UK, Switzerland and the Western Balkans are run regularly. For non-EU work we manage the export paperwork including dual-use checks where defense or controlled goods are involved.

Where do we start? Send drawings, use case, target dimensions, finishes, certifications and delivery window to [email protected]. We return an NDA within 24 hours and a fixed quotation in 3 to 10 working days. From there it is engineering, sign-off gate, production, FARO QA, dispatch.