When a business starts researching mezzanine floors, one of the first questions is straightforward: who actually makes them? The answer is less straightforward than it might appear.
The UK mezzanine floor market includes companies that manufacture their own structural steelwork, companies that source components from fabricators and resell them, and project management companies that coordinate both manufacturing and installation through subcontractors.
Understanding the difference matters when it comes to cost, quality, compliance and accountability.
What does a mezzanine floor manufacturer actually make?
A structural steel mezzanine floor consists of the following manufactured components:
Structural steelwork
The columns, primary beams, secondary joists and base plates that form the structural frame of the mezzanine. These are fabricated from structural steel sections, hollow sections for columns, universal beams and parallel flange channels for primary beams and secondary joists, cut to the dimensions in the structural drawings, drilled for connections, and fitted with the required end plates and connections.
Structural steelwork for mezzanine floors in Great Britain must be UKCA-marked to BS EN 1090-1. This requires the manufacturer to operate a certified factory production control system and to issue a Declaration of Performance for each set of structural components. A manufacturer who cannot provide UKCA-marked steelwork is not legally supplying into the UK market.
Read more about UKCA marking for mezzanine floors here
Deck boards
The platform surface of the mezzanine, spanning between the secondary joists. Most commercial and industrial mezzanine floors use P5 moisture-resistant chipboard at 38mm thickness as the standard deck board. Alternatives include structural plywood, steel open mesh, steel chequer plate and resin-coated concrete board for specialist applications. Deck boards are typically not fabricated by the mezzanine manufacturer but sourced from board manufacturers to the required specification.
Access systems
The staircase, pallet gates, balustrade and goods lifts that form the access and edge protection system of the mezzanine. Industrial staircases and balustrade systems are typically fabricated from structural steel by the mezzanine manufacturer or a specialist subcontractor. Pallet gates are usually sourced from specialist gate manufacturers. Goods lifts are always a specialist subcontract item.
Read more about mezzanine goods lifts here.
How UK mezzanine floor manufacturing works
The manufacturing process for a structural steel mezzanine floor follows a defined sequence:
Structural design
The manufacturing process begins with a structural design: the column grid, beam sizes, connection details, base plate design and lateral stability arrangement. This design is produced by a structural engineer from the site survey measurements, the operational brief and the required load rating. The output is a set of structural drawings and calculations that form the basis for fabrication and the Building Regulations application.
Fabrication
From the structural drawings, the fabrication team produce a cutting and drilling schedule for all steel sections. Column sections are cut to length and drilled for base plate connections. Primary beams are cut to length and drilled for column-head and joist connections. Secondary joists are fabricated with standard end connections. All components are checked against the drawings, cleaned and prepared for surface treatment.
Surface treatment and UKCA marking
Structural steelwork for mezzanine floors is typically powder coated or hot-dip galvanised before leaving the factory. Powder coating in a specified RAL colour is the most common finish for internal mezzanine steelwork. Before leaving the fabrication facility, all structural components must be UKCA-marked and a Declaration of Performance produced. The Declaration of Performance sets out the steel grade, execution class under BS EN 1090 and the material traceability for all components.
Delivery and installation
The fabricated components are delivered to site as a prefabricated kit. On site, they are assembled using the structural drawings as the reference, with all connections bolted using high-strength structural bolts torqued to the specification. There is no welding on site in a standard mezzanine installation.
Read more about the mezzanine floor installation process here.
The difference between a manufacturer, a supplier and a contractor
The UK mezzanine floor market uses these terms loosely. In practice:
Manufacturer
A company that fabricates structural steelwork in its own facility, operates a factory production control system certified for UKCA marking, and issues Declarations of Performance for the steelwork it produces. Western Industrial is a mezzanine floor manufacturer in this sense: we design and fabricate the structural components we install.
Supplier
A company that sources mezzanine floor components from one or more third-party fabricators and supplies them to the client, with or without installation. A supplier depends on their fabricators for UKCA compliance documentation. The quality and compliance of the product is dependent on the fabricator’s processes, not the supplier’s.
Contractor
A company that manages a mezzanine floor project by coordinating specialist subcontractors for design, fabrication and installation. A contractor may have no direct manufacturing capability. The accountability for product quality runs through the subcontract chain.
The practical significance: when a manufacturer installs what they make, there is a single point of accountability for the design, compliance and installation of the complete structure. When a supplier or contractor is involved, accountability may be shared across multiple companies, and the resolution of any post-installation issue requires identifying which company is responsible.
Five questions to ask any UK mezzanine floor manufacturer
1. Do you manufacture your own structural steelwork?
The answer distinguishes a manufacturer from a supplier. A manufacturer who fabricates their own steelwork controls the quality, the accuracy and the UKCA compliance of the components. A company that sources from a third-party fabricator has less direct control over all three.
2. Can you provide a UKCA Declaration of Performance?
This should be available immediately on request from any genuine UK mezzanine floor manufacturer. The Declaration of Performance confirms UKCA marking to BS EN 1090 and sets out the steel grade and execution class. A company that cannot produce this document is either not a manufacturer or is not UKCA-compliant.
3. Do you manage Building Regulations?
Some mezzanine companies provide steelwork and leave the Building Regulations to the client. A full-service manufacturer manages the Building Regulations application, all structural calculations, Building Control correspondence and the completion certificate. This should be included in the project scope, not an additional service.
Read more about Building Regulations for mezzanine floors here.
4. Who installs the mezzanine?
A manufacturer who installs with directly employed teams has direct control over the installation quality. A manufacturer who subcontracts installation introduces a dependency on the quality and practices of a separate company. Ask specifically whether the installation teams are directly employed or subcontracted.
5. What is included in the handover documentation?
On completion, you should receive: the UKCA Declaration of Performance, structural certificates, Building Regulations completion certificate, as-built drawings, a load plate fixed to the structure, and any fire protection test certificates. A manufacturer who cannot provide all of these is not delivering a compliant, fully documented installation.
Read more about mezzanine floor suppliers and manufacturers here
Frequently asked questions about mezzanine floor manufacturers
Mezzanine floors in the UK are manufactured by structural steel fabricators who specialise in mezzanine floor systems. Some companies, including Western Industrial, design, fabricate and install mezzanine floors as an integrated service. Others source components from fabricators and manage installation separately.
When choosing a manufacturer, the key criteria are UKCA compliance, Building Regulations management, and whether installation is carried out by directly employed teams.
A manufacturer fabricates structural steelwork in their own facility and issues UKCA Declarations of Performance for the components they produce. A supplier sources components from third-party fabricators and resells or installs them. The distinction matters for accountability: a manufacturer has direct control over the quality and compliance of the steelwork, while a supplier is dependent on their fabricator’s processes.
UKCA marking on mezzanine floor structural steelwork confirms that the fabrication process operates under a certified factory production control system assessed against BS EN 1090-1. It is accompanied by a Declaration of Performance setting out the steel grade and execution class. UKCA marking is a legal requirement for all structural steelwork supplied to construction sites in Great Britain. A mezzanine floor installed with non-UKCA-marked steelwork is in breach of the UK Construction Products Regulation.
Most UK mezzanine floor manufacturers operate nationally, not just locally. Western Industrial installs mezzanine floors across the whole of the UK from our base in Devon. Proximity to the manufacturer matters less than the quality of the structural design, the UKCA compliance of the steelwork, and the capability of the installation team. Contact us for a free site survey anywhere in the UK.
“Could not be more impressed by this company or David Moore. Extremely professional throughout. Access to great products and tradesmen that have totally transformed our office space. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.”
— Google Review, 5★
“Western Industrial added a mezzanine floor to our warehouse, allowing us to make much better use of our space. Paul’s team were very reliable, and the mezzanine was constructed very quickly and to a high standard. Highly recommended!”
— Google Review, 5★
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Western Industrial | Designing, Supplying & Installing Mezzanine Floors since 1979
Established in 1979, Western Industrial Group have grown to a dedicated & professional workforce, delivering consistently high quality services across a range of projects, large & small.
From Mezzanine Floors to Warehouse Storage and Racking, Western Industrial Business Interiors design, supply, manage and install, to provide you with a complete office refurbishment package.
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