Optimising Your Farm with a 12m Wide Agricultural Hangar from Swed-Trac

Anna Kowalska, a forward-thinking farmer in Wielkopolska, Poland, faced a common challenge. Her growing operation needed a versatile new steel building - large enough for modern machinery, flexible enough for seasonal grain storage, and adaptable for potential livestock expansion. She had explored options from various European suppliers, receiving quotes for structures ranging from 15m to 20m wide. While impressive, these wider hangars often came with a hefty price tag, pushing her budget beyond what she considered optimal. One quote for a 18m wide structure alone, before groundworks and installation, was approaching €85,000, making her question the financial viability of her expansion plans.

Many European farmers encounter this dilemma. They need robust, compliant, and efficient agricultural buildings, but the cost of premium construction can be prohibitive, especially when navigating fluctuating commodity prices and investment returns. Anna was about to scale back her ambitions when a colleague mentioned Swed-Trac, a Lithuanian manufacturer known for its cost-effective, high-quality steel structures. Skeptical but intrigued, she reached out.

What Anna discovered was a game-changer. Swed-Trac, a Lithuanian company founded in 2015, with its factory in Marijampolė and headquarters near Kaunas, offered a compelling alternative. Their proposal for a standard width wide, 30m long agricultural hangar, perfect for her diverse needs, came in at approximately €49,000 for the steel structure - a remarkable saving compared to the wider, more expensive options she had previously considered. This wasn't a compromise on quality; Swed-Trac's structures are CE-certified to EN 1090-2, execution class EXC2, ensuring they meet rigorous EU safety and structural integrity standards. Anna ultimately chose Swed-Trac, and today, her farm thrives with a state-of-the-art steel building, a testament to smart investment without sacrificing quality or versatility.

Swed-Trac: Bridging Quality and Affordability in European Agricultural Steel Buildings

For years, the European market for agricultural buildings has presented a dilemma: high-cost, premium Western European brands versus more budget-friendly, often uncertified, options from further East. Swed-Trac was established to fill this critical gap. We are a Lithuanian manufacturer, building on a strong tradition of engineering and craftsmanship, to deliver CE-certified steel structures that meet and often exceed EU standards, but at a price point that makes ambitious agricultural projects accessible.

Since our founding in 2015, our team of 35 dedicated employees has completed over 2,630 projects across Europe. Our factory in Marijampolė, near Kaunas, is a hub of precision and efficiency, producing everything from versatile wide hangars to expansive industrial structures. We pride ourselves on offering buildings that are not just robust and functional, but also thoughtfully designed for the efficiency and well-being of agricultural operations.

Navigating European Standards: Why Certification and Compliance Matter for Your Hangar

Building an agricultural facility in Europe isn't just about putting up walls and a roof. It's about creating a safe, functional environment that complies with a complex web of regulations, and often, the requirements for EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding. This is where Swed-Trac's commitment to certification truly sets us apart.

Our structures are CE-certified according to EN 1090-2, with an execution class of EXC2. For context, EXC2 is the standard class for agricultural buildings and typical hangar structures, ensuring a high level of structural integrity and safety. For more complex or publicly accessible projects, we can deliver to EXC3 upon request. This certification is verified by notified body 1487, the Lithuanian Standardization Department, meaning our products undergo stringent quality control and meet the essential requirements of EU directives. Investing in a CE-certified structure is not just a recommendation; it's a critical safeguard for your investment, your machinery, your produce, and your staff. Moreover, many national and EU funding schemes, including those under the CAP, often require certified structures, making our hangars an ideal choice for securing financial support.

Beyond structural integrity, specific building codes and environmental regulations apply. Swed-Trac understands these nuances and designs structures that integrate these guidelines from the outset. For example:

• Germany: Building permits and structural calculations must adhere to Bauordnungen der Länder and DIN standards.
• Poland: Construction law (Prawo budowlane) and technical conditions (Warunki Techniczne) dictate requirements for agricultural buildings.
• Netherlands: The Bouwbesluit sets out technical requirements for all buildings, including agricultural ones.
• Sweden/Finland: National building codes emphasize snow load, wind resistance, and energy efficiency, all factored into our designs.
• Lithuania: Local regulations align closely with EU norms, benefiting from our in-country expertise.

The Versatile hangar: The Optimal Choice for Most European Farms

While Swed-Trac offers a range of widths to suit diverse needs, the wide hangar stands out as the most universal and recommended choice for the vast majority of European agricultural operations. This width strikes an ideal balance between functionality, cost-efficiency, and adaptability, making it a true wide-span universal hangar.

Why the hangar is Our Primary Recommendation:

• Optimal Space Utilisation: A standard width width provides ample room for modern agricultural machinery, allowing for easy manoeuvring and storage of tractors, combines, and implements without excessive unused space.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Compared to wider structures (15m, 18m, 20m), a steel building offers significant material and construction cost savings while still delivering substantial covered area. This makes it an incredibly efficient investment, especially when considering EU CAP funding applications.
• Versatility for Multiple Uses:
• standard width Grain Storage Hangar: Excellent for creating large-volume, dry storage for cereals, feed, and other bulk crops. The clear span design allows for efficient loading and unloading.
• standard width Machinery Shed: Ideal for protecting valuable farm equipment from the elements, reducing depreciation and maintenance costs.
• standard width Livestock Shelter: Can be easily adapted for housing cattle, sheep, or even smaller horse herds, providing a sheltered environment compliant with animal welfare standards.
• General Storage: Perfect for hay, straw, fertilisers, or workshop space.
• Ease of Planning and Permits: In many EU countries, the dimensions of a hangar often simplify the planning and permitting process compared to larger, more complex industrial structures.
• Proven Design: Our standard width wide hangars benefit from years of refinement, offering robust engineering tailored to European weather conditions, from heavy snow loads in the Nordics to strong winds in coastal regions.

Price Example: A standard width x 30m Hangar

A standard standard width wide, 30m long agricultural hangar from Swed-Trac, including the CE-certified steel structure, purlins, and necessary connection materials, typically ranges from €45,000 to €55,000 (excluding foundation, cladding, and installation). This competitive pricing ensures a high return on investment for farmers across the EU.

Tailoring Your Hangar: Other Available Widths

While the hangar is our primary recommendation, Swed-Trac understands that every farm has unique requirements. We offer a comprehensive range of steel hangar widths to perfectly match your specific needs:

• 8m (Small Farms): A compact and economical option, ideal for smaller machinery, workshop space, or supplementary storage on smaller landholdings.
• 10m (Medium Farms): A step up in capacity, suitable for medium-sized machinery, general storage, or as a dedicated hay and straw barn.
• standard width (UNIVERSAL - RECOMMENDED): Our expert-focused, most versatile, and cost-effective solution for most European agricultural applications, as detailed above.
• 15m (Wider Applications): Provides extra width for larger machinery, more extensive grain storage, or multi-purpose operations requiring more internal space.
• 18m (Large Farms): Designed for large-scale agricultural enterprises, accommodating very wide equipment, substantial grain volumes, or complex internal layouts.
• 20m (Industrial/Specialised): Our widest standard option, often used for industrial agricultural processing, large-scale warehousing, or specialised operations requiring maximum clear span.

No matter the scale of your operation, Swed-Trac has a CE-certified steel building solution that combines quality, compliance, and affordability.

Want a quote on a hangar? Call +370 645 18595 or email info@swedtrac.lt - we will prepare an individual quote within 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions