In the near future, people in Broward and Palm Beach County who need affordable, storm-resistant homes may find a new, advanced option in a nearby community.
The Texas-based Onx company has opened a factory in Pompano Beach to make parts for homes that can withstand Category 5 hurricanes and winds up to 175 mph, more than 30 years after Hurricane Andrew hit Miami-Dade County.
The company, based in New Carrolton, Texas, near Dallas, started operations in 2021 and opened a 150,000-square-foot factory in Pompano Beach to make roofing components and walls with hurricane-resistant windows mainly using robotics. The timing is relevant as forecasters are predicting a very active 2024 hurricane season. The 2024 hurricane season is expected to be extremely active.
Matthew Rocco, president of the South Florida Manufacturers Association, believes Onx's manufacturing process and storm-resistant components will significantly impact South Florida.
The opening of the factory is a major step for Pompano Beach as it aims to enhance its reputation for luxury living, entertainment, and innovation. Automated factories are central to the company's strategy to quickly produce and transport components to home sites for assembly.
Visitors to the Pompano Beach factory can witness an automated process for creating interior and exterior walls, roofing components, and steel trusses for homes.
Onx has already started building communities in the Homestead area and operates assembly plants in Florida City.
The company has two different assembly plants in Florida City: one for bathroom/kitchen pods and another for foundations.
One factory produces 20 bathroom/kitchen pods daily, while the other builds foundations.
The company states that it takes 6-8 trailers per home for just-in-time delivery.
Onx says it can build a home in 30 days, which is much faster than the average 8-12 months taken by subcontractors. This is because Onx homes are constructed as one system.
Maintaining command
“Right now we are working on 12 communities in Florida,