Steel structures have become the standard for industrial construction in Kazakhstan. Every other new industrial facility in the country is a steel-frame building. Let's look at what to build for which purpose — and what it costs.
90%
of new industrial buildings
are built with steel frames
3–5× faster
than cast-in-place
versus reinforced concrete or masonry
up to 60 m
column-free span
with standard structural elements
from 23,000 ₸/m²
minimum cost
unheated warehouse without engineering
Types of Industrial Buildings
Warehouses
The most common type. Range: from small 200–500 m² units to logistics complexes of 20,000+ m². Height: 6–12 m. Span: 18–36 m.
Cold warehouses — building materials, rolled metal, machinery. Heated warehouses — food, pharmaceuticals, electronics. Refrigerated warehouses — fresh produce, frozen goods.
Production Halls
Technology-driven buildings designed for a specific manufacturing process. Height: 8–18 m. Mandatory: high-capacity power supply, ventilation, and often an overhead crane.
Key difference from a warehouse: designed "from the equipment" — equipment layout comes first, architecture follows.
Hangars
Lightweight buildings for storing equipment, aircraft, or grain. Emphasis on clear span (up to 60 m), construction speed, and cost.
Logistics Complexes
Multi-function facilities: warehouse + office space + loading docks + secured perimeter. Class A or B by classification. Designed for e-commerce, retail, and 3PL operators.
Auto Service Centres and Workshops
Height 4–8 m, inspection pits, vehicle lifts, exhaust extraction ventilation. Often combine a service bay with a parts storage area.
Structural Solutions
| Building Type | Span | Height | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small warehouse | 12–18 m | 4–6 m | LSTK or hot-rolled |
| Mid-size warehouse | 18–24 m | 6–9 m | hot-rolled sections |
| Large logistics | 24–36 m | 9–12 m | heavy trusses |
| Production hall | 18–30 m | 8–14 m | crane girders |
| Hangar | 24–60 m | 6–12 m | arched or flat trusses |
Advantages of Steel Frames for Industry
Speed. A typical 2,000 m² hall is built in 60–90 days versus 12–18 months for cast-in-place reinforced concrete.
Spans. Steel achieves 36–60 m column-free spans. Reinforced concrete is limited to 12–18 m.
Seismic performance. In Almaty and other seismically active regions, steel outperforms concrete — its ductility absorbs earthquake energy.
Expandability. Adding a bay or a mezzanine to a steel-frame building is significantly simpler than to a masonry one.
Indicative Industrial Building$2 Costs 2026
| Structure | Area | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cold warehouse | 1,000 m² | from 20M ₸ |
| Heated class B warehouse | 1,000 m² | from 65M ₸ |
| Production hall | 1,000 m² | from 85M ₸ |
| Class A logistics complex | 5,000 m² | from 600M ₸ |
| Agricultural hangar | 1,000 m² | from 28M ₸ |
We'll select the right structural solution for your project
Tell us the intended use, area, and region — we'll recommend the optimal design with real numbers.
