Taber Receives Boeing’s Prestigious Gold Level Performance Excellence Award

Leading U.S.-based manufacturer of aluminum extrusions will join exclusive group of suppliers recognized by the Boeing Company

Russellville, Ark. (May 19, 2014) – Taber Extrusions LLC, the industry leader in large press aluminum extrusions, is the proud recipient of the Boeing Performance Excellence Award (BPEA) for 2013. Taber received this award based on a twelve-month period with 100% on-time delivery and a 100% quality rating.

For 2013, Boeing recognized 543 suppliers with a Performance Excellence Award. This award is based on overall supplier quality and delivery and awards at two levels of Silver and Gold. Taber is one of a select group to earn Boeing’s most prestigious Gold level award for 2013.

“Taber is very proud to earn this award from Boeing,” said Allan Annis, President of Taber Extrusions. “Our ability to serve customers at this level is a direct result of our employees and the pride and skill that they bring to Taber everyday.”

Since 1973, Taber Extrusions has been known as the industry leader providing some of the widest, heaviest, most complex shapes into a variety of industries including aerospace, military, ship building, automotive, sporting goods, architectural and distribution markets. Taber supplies intermediate to heavy press structural extrusions for various Boeing Commercial airplanes including 747, 767, 777, & 787 airframes.  The company has manufactured aircraft and aerospace extrusions since 1973, servicing the Commercial, Military and General Aviation markets.

About Taber Extrusions LLC
In 1973, Taber Extrusions LLC pioneered the extrusion of large, heavy and wide complex shapes to differentiate itself in the aluminum extrusion industry. Today, Taber Extrusions continues its tradition of breaking boundaries as an extrusion leader in the production of a range of quality aluminum extrusions sizes and shapes. The company offers extrusions in 2000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 alloy series. Since its inception, the brand name Taber Extrusions has been synonymous with innovation, service and quality. All extrusions are engineered, manufactured and tested in the United States. Taber Extrusions maintains its headquarters at the Russellville, Arkansas facility, with a regional sales office also at its Gulfport, Mississippi facility.

Russellville, Ark. (February 14, 2013) – Lockheed Martin

As the turn of the new year leading manufacturing company appoints new president to lead its two U.S.-based facilities

Russellville, Ark. (January 9, 2013) – U.S.-based Taber Extrusions LLC, a leader in the aluminum extrusions industry is pleased to announce Allan Annis as its new President. Mr. Annis succeeds Bill Wetmore who previously retired from the company at the end of 2012. As president, he brings a fresh approach to the company for the new year and will oversee both of Taber’s manufacturing plants which are located in Russellville, Arkansas and Gulfport, Mississippi.

Mr. Annis comes to Taber from Hydro Aluminum where he was the Vice President of their Southeast Region. In this role, Mr. Annis was responsible for the Hydro plants located in St. Augustine, FL and in Belton, SC. Prior to Hydro, he was previously with Rockwell Automation where he served as Director of Lean Enterprise and also as Plant Manager in two of Rockwell’s Power Systems facilities.

For over thirty-five years, Taber Extrusions has seen major growth in business opportunities and has broken boundaries as an extrusion leader in the production of a range of quality, customized aluminum extrusions by using cutting-edge technology and offering competitive prices. Mr. Annis will continue to lead the company with full force.

“We look forward to being able to profit from Allan’s experience and fresh ideas,” remarked Steve Althardt, Sales Manager for Taber Extrusions. “We welcome Allan to the team and will rely on his leadership to take Taber to the next level as an industry leader in specialized aluminum extrusions.”

“I am excited to be joining an industry leader with a winning reputation,” added Mr. Annis. “The special capabilities and more importantly the special people we have at Taber will no doubt allow us to continue serving customers with unequalled products and service.”

About Taber Extrusions LLC
In 1973, Taber Extrusions LLC pioneered the extrusion of large, heavy and wide complex shapes to differentiate itself in the aluminum extrusion industry. Today, Taber Extrusions continues its tradition of breaking boundaries as an extrusion leader in the production of a range of quality aluminum extrusions sizes and shapes. The company offers extrusions in 2000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 alloy series. Since its inception, the brand name Taber Extrusions has been synonymous with innovation, service and quality. All extrusions are engineered, manufactured and tested in the United States. Taber Extrusions maintains its headquarters at the Russellville, Arkansas facility, with a regional sales office also at its Gulfport, Mississippi facility.

Leading aluminum extrusions company seeks innovative new equipment to increase efficiency and keep costs down for customers

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–“American-made” Taber Extrusions, a leader in the U.S. manufacturing industry, has announced its precision saw-cutting capabilities for rod & bar/standard extruded shapes and customized aluminum extrusion profiles. Taber has added two new equipment enhancements to its Arkansas-based facility to maintain its leadership in the marketplace, saw cut with greater precision, and keep costs down for customers.

“Both new saws are custom-made for efficient aluminum cutting, ensuring high production rates while minimizing scrap.”

Anticipating the needs of their customer base that includes many various markets, both commercial and defense related, Taber’s manufacturing facilities added a band saw and a circular saw to fully cover the extensive range of produced extrusion profiles. With this new equipment, Taber’s cut tolerances now include length and squareness of cut (up to +/- .010″) across a maximum 32″ width (minimum cut length of .75″). Both new saws are custom-made for efficient aluminum cutting, ensuring high production rates while minimizing scrap.

“The upgrade to our sawing capabilities provides our customers with a product precise enough to be loaded directly into their machining centers,” remarked Steve Althardt, Sales Manager for Taber Extrusions. “The precision cut blanks saves our customers time and money compared to having to cut mill lengths in house.”

For over thirty-five years, Taber Extrusions has broken boundaries as an extrusion leader in the production of a range of quality, customized aluminum extrusions by using cutting-edge technology and offering competitive prices.

About Taber Extrusions LLC

In 1973, Taber Extrusions LLC pioneered the extrusion of large, heavy and wide complex shapes to differentiate itself in the aluminum extrusion industry. Today, Taber Extrusions continues its tradition of breaking boundaries as an extrusion leader in the production of a range of quality aluminum extrusions sizes and shapes. The company offers extrusions in 2000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 alloy series. Since its inception, the brand name Taber Extrusions has been synonymous with innovation, service and quality. All extrusions are engineered, manufactured and tested in the United States. Taber Extrusions maintains its headquarters at the Russellville, Arkansas facility, with a regional sales office also at its Gulfport, Mississippi facility.

Russellville, Ark. (October 4, 2011) – As the U.S. manufacturing industry seeks innovative techniques to stay relevant in a technology-driven marketplace, keep costs down for customers, and remain competitive in a somewhat fragmented market, “American-made” Taber Extrusions has announced several extrusion capabilities for U.S.-based machine shops based on current market demand among OEMs and various end users.

For over thirty-five years, Taber Extrusions has worked with this specific vertical in designing custom aluminum extruded shapes that significantly reduce machine time and material costs.  The company’s large press facility located in Russellville, Arkansas, has two specific capabilities that appeal to machine shops: first, the facility can manufacture solid extrusions up to 31inches wide and over 100 pounds per foot; secondly, the facility can manufacture complex multi-void profiles up to 26 inches wide.

“Designing an extrusion that is closer to the finished parts’ net shape is a extraordinary time and cost saver for these shops,” remarked Taber Extrusions President, Bill Wetmore. “Many shops are ‘hogging out’ finished parts from cut plate or extruded bar that results in a much higher scrap rate and requires significantly more machine time than starting from an extruded profile that is closer to the finished net shape.”

Taber Extrusions works with these shops, in many cases starting from a finished machined part drawing, to assist in designing a custom profile that includes just enough machine stock to allow for the required extrusion tolerances.  Anticipating the needs of their customer base, the company recently added a precision cut saw that allows for cutting tolerances up to +/- .030, which allows the machine shops to take the blanks directly to the machining center. Taber’s ultra-wide and heavy capabilities allow machine shops to make large, finished parts as opposed to being made by an assembly of smaller components.  For production volume parts this alternative method results in a huge cost savings for the machine shop.

Added Steve Althardt, Sales Manager for Taber Extrusions: “Machine shops that leverage our capabilities in wide and heavy custom extrusions with the added flexibility in multiple alloy choices are more competitive, allowing them to win more jobs and make higher margins per hour on their machining centers.”

In addition to their wide and heavy capabilities, Taber also offers machine shops the full range of aluminum alloys and tempers including 7000, 6000, 5000, and 2000 series alloys.  The company carries all of the required industry standard qualifications including ISO 9001 and AS 9100 for heat-treatment and in-house Ultra Sonic Inspection (NDT).

About Taber Extrusions LLC
In 1973, Taber Extrusions LLC pioneered the extrusion of large, heavy and wide complex shapes to differentiate itself in the aluminum extrusion industry. Today, Taber Extrusions continues its tradition of breaking boundaries as an extrusion leader in the production of a range of quality aluminum extrusions sizes and shapes. The company offers extrusions in 2000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 alloy series. Since its inception, the brand name Taber Extrusions has been synonymous with innovation, service and quality. All extrusions are engineered, manufactured and tested in the United States. Taber Extrusions maintains its headquarters at the Russellville, Arkansas facility, with a regional sales office also at its Gulfport, Mississippi facility.

Russellville, Ark. (June 2, 2011) – Taber Extrusions LLC and Austal USA have entered into contracts for Taber to supply extruded products for the Austal USA Littoral Combat Ship Jackson (LCS 6), as well as Austal USA’s Joint High Speed Vessel Fortitude (JHSV 3).  Extrusions used on these all-aluminum vessels make up some of the ship’s decking, superstructure and bulkheads. Some structural extrusions for both ships will also be manufactured by Taber and supplied to Austal through a contract with O’Neal Steel Corp.  Taber operates manufacturing facilities in Russellville, AR and Gulfport, MS.  The extrusions to be provided for the LCS and JHSV programs will be produced at both facilities.

According to Taber: “The use of our 8,600-Ton extrusion press with its unique rectangular container and billet configuration enables us to successfully produce wide multi-void extrusions that are friction stir welded into panels. The combination of the superior metal flow patterns associated with our rectangular configuration along with the press size gives us an advantage over competitors trying to make similar extrusions with round containers on smaller presses.  The unique flow pattern in this design allows us to hold much tighter tolerances for flatness, straightness and twist as well as assure that critical thickness dimensions on the internal webs are achieved. We also produce tee extrusions in various alloys that are friction stir welded into panels.”

Taber’s ability to hold tight tolerances has allowed for a significant increase in productivity in the friction stir-welding rates and reduced downstream scrap and weld repairs. Taber maintains an exemplary record for quality and on-time delivery.

Taber’s President, Mr. Bill Wetmore, commented: “Our quality and delivery record has given Austal the confidence to expand our business relationship.  We look forward to working with Austal on both of these major programs for many years.” 

The U.S. Navy’s shipbuilding plan envisions building 55 Littoral Combat Ships accounting for about 18% of the Navy’s planned 313-ship force. Austal is teamed with General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, serving as ship systems integrator, responsible for the design, integration and testing of the ship’s mission systems.  Jackson (LCS 6) is the first ship awarded under Austal’s recently announced US Navy contract for construction of up to an additional 10 Littoral Combat Ships to be appropriated over the following five years with a total value exceeding $3.5B.

The JHSV program provides high-speed transport vessels for the Army and the Navy. These vessels will be used for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, military vehicles and equipment. The JHSV program merges the previous Army Theater Support Vessel (TSV) and the Navy High Speed Connector (HSC), taking advantage of the inherent commonality between the two programs.  Authorization to proceed with construction of JHSV 3 was granted in January 2010 and authorization to procure long lead time material for JHSV 4 & 5 was granted in June 2010. The current program with all awards is for total 10 ships for use by Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. The first ship is intended to be delivered in year 2011.

Taber Extrusions’ unique capabilities in wide, long and complex extrusion profiles and our experience in manufacturing such shapes in both the 5000 and 6000 series alloys has made Taber the extruder of choice for the next generation of aluminum ships.  Furthermore, Taber is the only U.S. based manufacturer of 5000 series aluminum extrusions designed primarily for the ship building market to maintain an uninterrupted supply for over 35 years.