|
Distribution&Production
Two Extrusion Manufacturers
Increase Capacity, Sizes Available
December 17, two extrusion manufacturers—Bonnell Aluminum
of Newnan, Ga., and Keymark Corp. of Fonda, N.Y.—each announced plans
for expanded capacity.
Bonnell announced the start-up of its long-planned extrusion press, which
was engineered specifically to produce architectural-quality profiles
for prominent exposed applications up to 16 inches wide.
This 5,500-ton aluminum extrusion press was installed at the company’s
manufacturing facility in Carthage, Tenn., in a new building covering
70,000 square feet.
Built by the Italian manufacturer PRESEZZI, and using the latest technologies
in handling systems from OMAV, this press is intended to allow for new
design opportunities for architects who are seeking larger extruded profiles
and more design freedom, as it will be capable of up to 16-inch-wide shapes.
Meanwhile, Keymark announced its plans to install a large aluminum extrusion
press as part of a multi-million dollar expansion project at its plant
in Lakeland, Fla.
The new UBE, 3,000-ton hydraulic press, capable of producing extrusions
up to 14 inches in circle size, will be installed adjacent to Keymark’s
existing 140,000-square-foot facility. The new facility will incorporate
an additional 104,000 square feet of floor space and will leave room for
future expansion.
“It will probably increase our capacity over 30 million pounds,” Brent
Slaton, Keymark’s national sales coordinator, told USGlass.
Keymark of Florida currently houses two 7-inch aluminum extrusion presses
and a 40-foot horizontal paint line.
The expansion will create 63 new jobs in the Lakeland area over the next
two years. The planned startup of the new press will be second quarter
of 2010. “Hopefully we will catch the market on the upswing,” Slaton said.
According to Slaton, that “upswing” may be sooner rather than later. In
fact, both extrusion producers noted that these openings have been timed
to help these companies grow despite a recovering construction market.
When USGlass spoke with Bonnell director of sales and marketing Ira Endres
in October, he noted, “Our view is going forward that the nonresidential
segments still have some softness ahead well into 2010 and hopefully the
support of stimulus funding and the return of private investment will
help us on the recovery side of the cycle.”
Slaton added, “It’s slow to come, there’s no doubt. We’ve been through
some tough times the last two years. But we are starting to see significant
amount of quotes, and we’ve secured a couple of nice projects recently.
It does look like things are improving in our industry.”
www.bonlalum.com
www.keymarkcorp.com
USG
© Copyright 2010 Key Communications Inc. All rights reserved.
No reproduction of any type without expressed written permission.
|
