Alternate Structures, Built with Manufacturing Discipline

At True North Manufacturing Inc., our Alternate Structures product line focuses on a category of products that are often underestimated—and poorly executed—across the industry.

These are not houses.
They are not ABUs.
And they are not treated as “side projects.”

They are manufactured products.

What We Mean by “Alternate Structures”

TNMI Alternate Structures include:

Garden sheds and storage sheds
Barns and utility buildings
Saunas
Pool houses and tiki bars
Wood sheds
Planter boxes and deck boxes

While these products vary in size and use, they share common challenges in the market today:

Inconsistent quality
Loose tolerances
Over-reliance on site labour
Designs that don’t scale
“Good enough” becoming the standard

We believe these are solvable problems—if they are treated as manufacturing problems, not site problems.

Built as Products, Not One-Off Builds

Most alternate structures are built using informal methods:

Minimal design definition
Variable material selection
Craft knowledge locked in individuals
Quality discovered only at the end

At TNMI, we take a different approach.

Our Alternate Structures are:

Designed intentionally before production
Broken down into repeatable components
Built using standardized work
Checked for quality during fabrication, not after
Improved continuously through real production feedback

This allows us to deliver structures that are predictable in quality, consistent in fit, and repeatable at scale.

Why Manufacturing Matters Here

Alternate Structures are ideal candidates for manufacturing discipline because repetition creates learning.

As volumes increase, the system improves:

Assembly sequence becomes more efficient
Material waste is reduced
Fit and finish become more consistent
Labour requirements stabilize
Costs come down without sacrificing quality

Instead of relying on skilled rework at the end, quality is built in from the start.

Designed for Real-World Use

Whether it’s a garden shed or a pool house, customers expect these structures to:

Fit properly
Go together easily
Withstand real conditions
Look intentional, not improvised

By controlling design, materials, and fabrication in-house, we reduce uncertainty and eliminate many of the common issues that show up during installation.