Atlas structural frame
A repeatable W-Series steel building platform configured for the required spans, lengths, local loading and farm layout.
Agricultural structuresAgricultural structures / pig housing
Atlas steel buildings for a 20-sow piggery
Start with the farming operation, not a finished building plan. Smart Steel can configure an Atlas structural shell around the required breeding, farrowing and growing-pig areas.
20-sow breeding house
Atlas agricultural building shell
Projects across South Africa
Operation-led delivery
Start with the production flow. Build the Atlas shell around it.
A 20-sow piggery is more than one open shed. Published South African agricultural guidance describes separate functions for breeding stock, farrowing and growing pigs, supported by suitable passages, drainage, ventilation and manure handling.
Smart Steel uses that operational outline to begin the conversation. The Atlas W-Series provides a repeatable steel frame, roof and enclosure platform that can be configured around the farm brief, site conditions and layout confirmed by the client’s agricultural and professional team.
Published planning basis
What a 20-sow facility needs to accommodate
The ARC’s published pig-housing guidance provides a useful planning basis rather than a one-size-fits-all building plan.
01
Breeding accommodation for boars, gilts, dry and pregnant sows
02
A dedicated farrowing area suited to sow and piglet management
03
Separate accommodation for weaners and growing or finishing pigs
04
Feeding and dung passages coordinated with the internal pen layout
05
Ventilation, temperature control, drainage, wash-down and manure handling
Atlas building pathway
Three shells for the main 20-sow functions
Published guidance separates breeding, farrowing and growing functions. These preliminary Atlas sizes round those outlines to released spans and 4m structural bays. They are starting points for budgeting, not final livestock-layout or engineering approval.
01View in 3D
Breeding and gestation shell
10m × 32m × 3mA practical Atlas starting envelope for boars, gilts, dry and pregnant sows.
Sizing basis: ARC drawing: approximately 8.43m × 31.8m, rounded to released Atlas sizes.
02View in 3D
Farrowing shell
6m × 16m × 3mA compact starting envelope for a dedicated five-to-six-pen farrowing area.
Sizing basis: SA small-scale pig-farming guide: approximately 4m × 13.25–15.5m, rounded up to W06 × 16m.
03View in 3D
Grower and finisher shell
10m × 40m × 3mA released Atlas footprint aligned with the published grower-house outline.
Sizing basis: SA small-scale pig-farming guide: approximately 9m × 40m, rounded to W10 × 40m.
Smart Steel scope
A structural package with clear boundaries
The quotation starts with the building shell and records exactly what Smart Steel will supply, coordinate and deliver.
Roofing and enclosure
Roof sheeting, ventilation openings and agreed wall-cladding zones, with finishes reviewed for the piggery environment.
Supply and installation
A clearly defined supply-only or installation-assisted Atlas package, subject to site location, access and final engineering review.
Planning a 20-sow unit?
Send the farm location, intended production areas and preferred project timing. Smart Steel can help define the Atlas building shell from there.
Agricultural project brief
Request an Atlas review for your 20-sow breeding house
Share the farm location, production intent and structural package you need. You do not need a finished plan to start the conversation.
Useful before you start
Think about the proposed site, breeding capacity, functional areas and preferred project timing. Smart Steel can use this to shape the first Atlas building-shell proposal.
Responsibility matrix
Know who carries each part of the project
01
Smart Steel structural scope
- Translate the farm brief into an Atlas building-shell proposal
- Define the structural frame, roof and agreed cladding package
- Prepare a scope-based quotation and delivery approach
- Coordinate required structural information before manufacture
02
Client and professional team
- Confirm the intended production flow and internal facility layout
- Confirm the site, orientation, access and local conditions
- Appoint the required competent professionals and obtain approvals
- Confirm foundations, floors, drainage, effluent and internal equipment scope
Smart Steel is an independent structural supplier and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Agricultural Research Council. ARC material is referenced as publicly available agricultural planning guidance; Atlas is a separate Smart Steel structural building system.
Agricultural design inputs
The structure has to support the operation
These considerations shape the brief before a steel package can be responsibly confirmed.
Ventilation and temperature
01Openings, ridge treatment, insulation and mechanical systems must follow the production plan and specialist requirements.
Corrosive conditions
02Animal housing can expose steel and fixings to moisture and aggressive contaminants. The required material and coating specification must be agreed for the site.
Drainage and hygiene
03Floor falls, channels, wash-down systems and effluent infrastructure sit outside the standard steel shell and must be coordinated early.
Future farm operations
04Feed access, service routes, equipment movement and potential expansion should be understood before the structural grid is frozen.
What to send
Information for a useful first review
- The intended 20-sow production model and functional areas
- Farm location and proposed building position
- Required structural, roofing and wall-cladding scope
- Foundation and floor information, where available
- Ventilation, insulation and service requirements
- Delivery access and preferred construction programme
Delivery roadmap
01
Share the farm brief
Tell us the site, production intent, functional areas and the package you want Smart Steel to review.
02
Shape the Atlas shell
We establish a practical building envelope and separate the steel scope from civils, pens, equipment and specialist systems.
03
Review and quote
The team confirms structural assumptions, environmental finishes, delivery and installation requirements.
04
Prepare for delivery
Manufacture proceeds only after the project information, approvals and commercial scope are confirmed.
Agricultural building system
One template, distinct farming applications
Poultry houses
Structural shells for broiler and layer houses, developed around the supplied production brief.
Available
Milking and dairy sheds
Practical steel cover for milking, holding and dairy-support areas.
Available
Cattle and feedlot sheds
Roofed livestock areas and structural cover coordinated with the handling layout.
Available
Sheep and small-stock sheds
Steel structures for lambing, shearing and covered small-stock facilities.
Available
Grain and farm storage
Atlas storage buildings for equipment, inputs and protected on-farm operations.
Available
Questions before quotation
20-sow breeding house FAQs
Do I need an ARC plan before contacting Smart Steel?+
No. Smart Steel can begin with your farm location, intended 20-sow production model and required functional areas. Published agricultural guidance helps establish the brief, after which the project team confirms the site-specific layout and professional requirements.
Is the Atlas building an official ARC piggery design?+
No. Atlas is Smart Steel’s structural building system. ARC pig-housing guidance informs the operational brief, but the final facility layout, civils, animal systems and approvals remain project-specific.
Does the steel quotation include pens and piggery equipment?+
Only items expressly listed in the quotation are included. Pens, gates, feeding systems, ventilation equipment, electrical work, plumbing and specialist animal-production equipment are excluded unless specifically agreed.
Are foundations, floors and effluent works included?+
These are not part of the standard structural shell. They require project-specific civil and professional input and must be coordinated with the supplied piggery layout.
Can Smart Steel deliver outside Gauteng?+
Yes. Smart Steel reviews agricultural structure enquiries across South Africa. Delivery and installation feasibility depend on project location, access and scope.
Start with the plan and site
Bring us the agricultural brief. We’ll define the structural next step.
Project reviews across South Africa · Reviewed 26 October 2026