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Design Class 8 factory sheds online with crane gantries, high eaves and roller doors. Free quotes from ShedSafe accredited dealers using BlueScope steel.
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What is a factory shed?
A factory shed is a steel-framed industrial building used for production, assembly, fabrication or processing. Under the National Construction Code it is a Class 8 building, which sets the fire-resistance, egress, sanitary and access requirements that distinguish a working factory from a warehouse (Class 7b) or workshop (Class 5 or 6, depending on use). Most factory sheds in Australia are 100% Australian-made BlueScope steel framing, Colorbond® cladding, with eave heights tuned to the production process: forklift access, racking, crane gantries, mezzanine offices, dust extraction, or all of the above.
ShedDesigner gives you the shell. Pick the closest factory template, set your span, length, eave height and bay configuration, then submit your design once for free comparable quotes from ShedSafe accredited dealers in your region.
Factory shed configurations
The footprint follows the production process. Three patterns cover most of the briefs we see.
Single-span manufacturing shed. One clear span, no internal columns, full-length eave gantry crane optional. Typical span 18m to 30m, length 30m to 80m, eave 6m to 9m. Fits CNC, fabrication, joinery, food production and bottling lines that need column-free floor.
Multi-span factory. Two or three spans side by side under matching ridges, internal columns on the lines between spans. Cheaper per square metre than a single wide span. Fits assembly lines, parts manufacturing and any process where racking can sit on the column lines.
Factory with attached warehouse / office. Production at one end, warehouse storage at the other, glass-fronted office and amenities along the front facade. The most common build for established small and mid-sized manufacturers: one shell, one slab, one set of approvals.
Every factory build needs to talk to your operations team before the slab. Roller-door positions, dock heights, crane span, mezzanine load and PA door egress are all set on the design, not the build.
Engineering, FRL and crane gantries
A factory shed carries heavier loads than any shed in our range. Three things to settle early.
Imposed loads. Factory floor and roof loading is set by AS/NZS 1170.1 Structural design actions, Part 1: Permanent, imposed and other actions. Mezzanine floors are typically designed to 5kPa for general factory and storage use. Roof live loads and crane gantry actions are added to the wind loading calculation under AS/NZS 1170.2.
Fire resistance level (FRL). Class 8 buildings carry FRL requirements that depend on rise in storeys, floor area, and proximity to the boundary. Most single-storey factories under typical floor areas only need FRL on the boundary wall (90/90/90 is common). Larger factories and multi-storey builds carry FRL across more of the structure. Your dealer's engineer and your private certifier set the FRL spec from the NCC 2022 Volume One.
Crane gantries. Most factory cranes run as overhead travelling cranes on gantry beams designed to AS 1418.1 Cranes, hoists and winches: General requirements. Crane span up to 25m and capacity up to 10 tonnes is well inside the standard envelope. Larger spans or capacities trigger a custom engineering review.
Before you get quotes
A factory shed is the single biggest fixed asset most manufacturing businesses own. Build it for what the line will do in 10 years, not what it is doing today.
100% Australian-made BlueScope steel. Structural framing and Colorbond® cladding. BlueScope's COLORBOND® steel cladding for sheds and garages carries a warranty of up to 15 years against corrosion to perforation, with the exact period set by location and application (BlueScope, Garages & Sheds Warranty). Check your build on BlueScope's online warranty estimator.
ShedSafe accredited dealers, no exceptions. Every dealer on ShedDesigner is ShedSafe accredited under the Australian Steel Institute programme, which independently assesses dealer design and engineering against the National Construction Code and AS/NZS 1170.2 wind loading.
One design, multiple quotes. Your factory design goes out to dealers in your region. Quotes price the same shell to the same engineering. Browse the full commercial range for warehouse and workshop configurations, or pair the factory shed with an industrial shed on the same quote so the dealer can stage delivery.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a factory shed cost in Australia?
Most factory shed shells in Australia sit between $250,000 and $1.5m+ in steel and slab, depending on span, length, eave height, wind region and crane capacity. A 20m x 40m single-span factory at 6m eave runs at the lower end. A 30m x 80m factory with full-length 5-tonne gantry crane and FRL boundary wall sits at the upper end. Fit-out (compressed air, three-phase reticulation, racking, mezzanine, dock equipment) is quoted separately.
What NCC class is a factory shed?
A factory shed is a Class 8 building under the National Construction Code: a building in which goods are produced, assembled, altered, repaired, packed, finished or cleaned. Warehouses are Class 7b. Workshops can be Class 5 (office accessory), Class 6 (retail accessory), Class 7b or Class 8 depending on the work. The classification drives fire resistance, egress and sanitary requirements, so confirm with your private certifier early.
What's the maximum clear span and eave height?
ShedDesigner's standard envelope covers single spans up to 30m without internal columns and eave heights to 9m, which comfortably covers most Australian small-to-mid factory builds. Larger spans and taller eaves are routine with a custom engineering review. The 3D designer flags any combination that needs the review before quoting.
Can I add a gantry crane to a factory shed?
Yes. Overhead travelling cranes are designed to AS 1418.1 and integrated into the portal frame at the design stage. Spans up to 25m and capacities up to 10 tonnes sit inside the standard envelope. Crane gantry beams, runway brackets and longitudinal bracing are sized by your dealer's structural engineer alongside the wind and roof load calculations.
What FRL does a factory shed need?
FRL depends on the building's location relative to the boundary, total floor area, rise in storeys and the type of construction under NCC Volume One. Most single-storey factories under standard floor area only require an FRL on the boundary wall (commonly 90/90/90). Larger factories and multi-storey builds carry FRL across more elements. Your dealer's engineer and certifier set the spec from the NCC.
What roller door spec do I need on a factory?
Most factory shed doors are industrial high-cycle roller shutters or sectional doors, sized for forklift access (typically 4m wide x 4m high minimum) and rated for the duty cycle. High-cycle factory doors are speed-controlled (1.0 to 2.5 m/s) and often paired with safety photoelectric beams. Spec the door type and cycle rating to your operations team before signing the quote.
Do I need development approval for a factory shed?
Almost always, yes. Factories carry traffic, parking, noise, hours-of-operation and stormwater conditions that take them well outside any exempt-development pathway. Your dealer's quote includes engineering documentation that supports the development application. Council typically wants to see your operational management plan and traffic management alongside the shed plans.
Can the factory be expanded later?
Yes, with planning. The two patterns that future-proof an expansion are (a) leaving an end wall as a "soft" wall designed for removal so a future bay can extend the shed length, and (b) sizing the slab footprint at the future build size with the shell built in stages. Both add cost upfront but cut expansion cost by 30% to 40% versus tearing back into a built end wall later.
Other Commercial designs
Large Sheds
Clear-span steel buildings sized for serious commercial operations. NCC Class 7b or 8, engineered to AS 4100, 100% Australian-made BlueScope steel.
Self Storage Sheds
Repeating-bay storage units sized to operator economics, NCC Class 7b compliant, built from 100% Australian-made BlueScope steel.
Industrial Sheds
NCC Class 7 / 8 industrial sheds. Forklift clearance, fire compliance, BlueScope steel, fully customisable.
Warehouse Sheds
Class 7b clear-span warehouse shed with forklift-rated slab and truck-height roller doors. ShedSafe accredited dealers, BlueScope steel.