3 01, 2022

Taber Extrusions: The Shape of Endless Possibilities Since 1973

2022-02-03T22:46:16+00:00January 3rd, 2022|

A billboard-style, graphic presentation featuring various-sizes of rendered aluminum extrusions, with the words “Taber Extrusions, The Sky is The Limit” in large bold silver lettering and a caption that reads, “complex aluminum extrusions for virtually any application,” an inverted gold triangle logo next to the word “Sky” has a background of mountains behind it all.

Taber Extrusions has extrusions in the name, but it’s really a full-service aluminum extrusion company. Taber controls it all, from the casting of the billet, the extrusion process, fabrication, and finally, the logistics.

Taber possesses a commitment to meeting and exceeding customer expectations by providing both products and customer service levels that are of the highest quality. This commitment is at the core of their operating philosophy.

Taber Extrusions History

Taber Extrusions was founded in 1973, when the Taber family acquired an aluminum extrusion plant in Russellville, Arkansas from Dow Chemical (which had originally built the plant in 1970). National Material Company L.P. (NMLP) later purchased the company in 1976. The Arkansas facility was originally dedicated to the production of specific military-related, large, wide, and long extrusions for the U.S. government.

A graphic showing an outline of the state of Arkansas, with a red map pin and Taber’s gold inverted triangle logo marking Russellville. The words “The Shape of Endless Possibilities” are to the right of the map.

Taber’s Russellville facility houses the largest rectangular aluminum extrusion press in North America, which uniquely positions Taber to extrude super-wide shapes – much more comprehensively than is possible with traditional round containers. This rectangular container allows them to supply some of the industry’s widest, most complex, multi-void hollows.

In 1995, the Gulfport, Mississippi facility was acquired in response to the growing need in the domestic market for aluminum billet products. Taber added 7″ billet molds to their existing extrusion billet casting profile.

With the intention to expand even further, in 2015, Taber upgraded the Russellville fabrication facility even more. By 2017, Taber’s aluminum cast house expansion was completed and acquired 7″, 9″, 11″, 16″, 20″, and 10″ x 20″ rectangular billet molds.

Taber completed the relocation and start-up of its micro-extrusion press lines in 2018. This greatly expanded their supply possibilities with extrusion solutions, programs, and services. Taber’s newest ultra-precision extrusion manufacturing lines have a product envelope with a circle size of 3 inches or less and a weight per foot of 1 lb. or less. The micro-extrusion presses differ from traditional extrusion presses in that they can produce extrusions with a wall thickness of 0.010 inches and tolerances of +/- 0.001 inches. Designers and engineers can use these micro-extrusion production centers to develop profiles that would otherwise be impossible to extrude using conventional presses.

Angle on 8 new shovels with white Taber Extrusions hard hats resting neatly on each shovel handle, resting on holders just beyond a mound of freshly turned dirt from a nicely manicured lawn area in front of Taber’s Russellville, Arkansas aluminum extrusion facility.

In April 2019, Taber held a groundbreaking ceremony to announce its newest in-house FSW capability, making them a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies never before seen in North America.

Congressman Steve Womack described how he sees Taber’s role from both a local and national perspective:

“The expansion of an existing company such as Taber Extrusions means a lot more than the location of a new company. It means that Taber is in the right place and has what it needs to succeed. Taber plays an important role in the defense of our nation with products that are an asset to our defense capabilities.”

“This was an obvious next-step for Taber,” said Jason Weber, V.P. of Sales and Marketing, in an article by Light Metal Age Magazine. “The company was founded in 1973, and never stopped diversifying, adding new capabilities, and technologies. We are known for aluminum extrusions, fabrication, billet casting, ultra-precision extrusions. Friction stir welding was going to happen eventually.”

A slick-looking 3D-rendered graphic of Taber Extrusion’s Haas VF-12 CNC machine on the right side of Taber’s official gold inverted triangle logo, and the words, “Introducing out new Haas VF-12/40”

As for the most recent addition to Taber’s extrusion capabilities, they announced the Haas VF-12 CNC. This one-of-a-kind machine allows Taber’s top engineers to design optimal extrusion shapes using specialized software to have them made within this “self-contained factory,” all in one precise and effective process.

Weber had this to say about their 2021 machining center expansion

We will continue to invest in technologies that provide the widest scope of services in the aluminum extrusion industry. The Haas VF-12 CNC machine is yet another example of our willingness to invest and deliver the widest scope of services across the aluminum extrusion continuum.”

See our company timeline infographic here.

Helping Shape Our Community

A graphic featuring the Taber inverted gold triangle logo and the words “Powered by Ambition” atop a background of aluminum decking profiles with a dark blue hue for a wallpaper effect.

Taber cares about the communities in which their employees live and work. Their goal is to provide their employees with a safe and secure workplace that has an emphasis on personal and professional development, as well as cultivating an attitude focused on delivering genuine and reliable service. Excellent customer service will always stand out, and Taber enjoys the many long-term relationships which have developed over the years because of the personal accountability that they give to their customers.

Forming and shaping the identity of a community is one of the greatest things about Taber’s position. Not only are local businesses like Taber a crucial element in creating a culture for the community, but they also build connections and relationships with the people.

Work at Taber Extrusions

As an aluminum extruder with extremely broad and unique capabilities there is no question that Taber’s employees have been the foundation of their success. They have developed an atmosphere where people are respected and appreciated. The Taber family plans to continue to foster careers that are right for their people, and right for their business. There is no question: Taber’s employees power their success.

A 2-panel graphic – right panel is a wide shot of an elegant rectangular black lacquer pedestal adorned with a silver cast hard hat with the NMLP inverted triangle logo with words inscribed. The left panel reads, “Taber Extrusions Russellville, AR. Awarded 2018 Safety Excellence Award.”

Pictured above: Taber Extrusions took home National Material L.P.’s 2018 Safety Excellence Award for exceptional safety management at their Russellville, Arkansas facility.

Taber is growing fast, and we are seeking talent in engineering, operations, sales, and more! You may be exactly what we’re looking for in our vision for future growth. Feel free to apply and place your resume in our database. We have an extensive community of career opportunities, and we are always on the hunt for great talent and professionals. You can also apply to an open position which will either match you to your next career move or place you in our network to receive job updates.

View our open career listings here!

Taber Extrusions: Summary

Founded in 1973, Taber Extrusions originally pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet which enables the company to extrude extra-large aluminum extrusion profiles up to 31 inches wide or hollows up to 29 inches. Taber expanded with the purchase of an extrusion facility in Gulfport, MS in 1995 which houses a state-of-the-art cast house and two additional presses, micro-extrusion capabilities, and the fabrication area has been expanded multiple times.

Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes and has diversified its markets beyond military since its inception to include aerospace, automotive, marine, infrastructure, and sporting goods, among many others. With in-house casting solutions, ultra-precision extrusion manufacturing, friction stir welding capacities, and a full range of hard and soft aluminum alloys, Taber continues to align itself as an industry leader in having the broadest available capabilities. 

Today, Taber Extrusions is proud of its recently added VF-12 CNC machining line and a full offering of extruded aluminum components, value-added machining services, and raw material supply to the North American market. Adding these capabilities to a growing portfolio propels Taber into the future in a quest to continuously improve the quality and service we provide to our customers.

Thank you for your continued support of Taber Extrusions, LLC. If you have any questions, please visit taberextrusions.com or contact one of Taber’s regional sales managers.

3 12, 2021

The Gift of Aluminum Extrusion: How Extrusion Technology Shapes Our World

2022-02-03T22:57:53+00:00December 3rd, 2021|

An photograph of extruded aluminum pieces with a white graphic rectangle that reads “The Gift of Aluminum Extrusion: How Extrusion Technology Shapes Our World.”

Technology is commonly defined as the application of scientific knowledge to the practical aims of human life, or, as it is sometimes phrased, the change and manipulation of the human environment. Aluminum extrusion technology is one such innovation that continues to change the world for the better. Before we bring light to this time-honored approach to aluminum processing, we should first know where it all began.

The Beginnings of Aluminum Extrusion

Before 1825, the complexities of refining aluminum from ore made aluminum a rare and precious metal that was more valuable than silver and gold. Thanks to a successful smelting process invented by Charles Martin Hall and Paul Heroult, aluminum paved its way into the commercial sector. The invention of smelting gave rise to better technology that could fully take advantage of the unique attributes of aluminum. In 1894, Alexander Dick achieved just that when he developed the hot extrusion process. This process allowed non-ferrous alloys to be extruded, and the first aluminum extrusion press was in production by 1904. Over the years, with modern technology, extrusions can now be more precise and accurate.

A picture of a child’s generic plastic playdough-style extruder squishing out a red textured noodle-like log (or “billet”) of modeling clay next to 2 containers filled with blue and red “dough.”

Aluminum Properties Made Simple

In essence, aluminum extrusion technology can be compared to popular child’s modeling clay. Playdough can be smashed, folded, and molded into any shape. The material can also be squeezed through an extrusion-type machine passing through various-sized and shaped holes (just like die casts!) to become an entirely different shape destined for a brand-new use. The possibilities are only limited to one’s imagination. A young scientist at work…

In the world of aluminum extrusion technology, the process of forming aluminum begins with a raw aluminum. While this metal is the most abundant on Earth, it rarely comes in its pure form. Alumina is made from bauxite. After that, the material must undergo smelting and an alloying process involving many alloying elements such as copper, magnesium, silicon, and manganese. Finally, the aluminum is ready for the extrusion process. An aluminum billet is preheated then forcibly compressed through a smaller opening. Besides the aluminum alloy combination, many factors determine the quality and properties of the final product, such as the billet length, the billet heat, aluminum profiles, and the extrusion speed. Despite varying results, a freshly made aluminum extrusion is hardly ever used in a real-world commercial application. Most aluminum extrusion products adhere to specifications which meet the needs of each industry.

Among the many reasons of how aluminum extrusions shape our world, aside from being incredibly strong, aluminum weighs only a third of other common commercial metals like iron, steel, and copper. This makes aluminum more economical in applications where fuel economy is an important factor such as in the transportation sector. Additionally, this metal is exceptionally resilient, allowing it to bend and spring back after substantial impacts, making it a top choice for automotive crash management systems.

A photograph of a modern building made entirely of a reflective metal.

Remember that playdough analogy? Well, aluminum’s malleability makes this metal easy to work with throughout the design and extrusion process. An aluminum extrusion can be tailored to meet all possible needs in terms of function and aesthetics.

Aluminum Extrusions and Energy

Photograph of mounted solar panels in a field of green grass.

Aluminum extrusions also play a role in energy generation. Compared to other metals, aluminum has high electrical conductivity, making it preferential for energy distribution. Aluminum is also essential in structural and racking solutions for systems that collect solar power when generating green energy. Aluminum, and by extension, aluminum extrusions, is one of the most sustainable metals out there. The icing on the cake? Aluminum is infinitely recyclable without losing any of its above properties.

The aluminum industry has had to evolve to accommodate the growing needs of various industries that utilize aluminum extrusions. Within the United States’ aluminum industry, Taber Extrusions is a leader in quality products and customer satisfaction, firmly believing in collaborative work with customers to find unique solutions to queries that our ever-changing world presents. Taber’s extensive aluminum extrusion capabilities allow the creation of all kinds of designs for a variety of industries.

ABOUT TABER EXTRUSIONS

Taber Extrusions, located in Russellville, AR and Gulfport, MS, is highly regarded as a provider of aluminum extrusions to a wide variety of industries including aerospace, infrastructure, transportation, defense, and thermal management. ISO 9001 and AS 9100 certified, Taber’s present and future customers can expect to see increased supply opportunities with the expanded set of extrusion solutions, programs, and services.

Founded in 1973, Taber Extrusions originally pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet which enables the company to extrude solid profiles up to 31 inches wide or hollows up to 29 inches. Taber expanded with the purchase of an extrusion facility in Gulfport, MS in 1995 which houses a new state of the art cast house and two additional presses, micro-extrusion capabilities, and the fabrication area has been expanded multiple times. The most recent expansion was the addition of the new Haas VF-12 CNC machining line. Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes and has diversified its markets beyond military since its inception to include aerospace, automotive, marine, infrastructure, and sporting goods, among many others. For these markets, the company supplies cast and extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys. Today, Taber Extrusions is proud of its friction stir welding capabilities, and full offering of extruded aluminum components, value-added machining services, and raw material supply to the North American market.

Follow Taber Extrusions

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/8843183/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/taberextrusions/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions

Are you interested in joining the Taber Team? Send your resume to: careers@taberextrusions.com

Become a customer today! Visit us or request a quote: https://taberextrusions.com or call us at (888) 985-5319.

22 11, 2021

From Friction Stir Welding to Micro Extrusions: Leading Aluminum Extruder Taber is Vertically Integrated

2021-11-22T21:52:41+00:00November 22nd, 2021|

A graphic presented in various shades of blue, with a faint image of a bridge that resembles the Golden Gate, and an American flag flowing in the wind with the official Taber logo, the words “The Shape of Endless Possibilities,” and certification seals for ISO 9001, MBE, Made in the USA, NADCAP, and ABS Group.

Taber Extrusions, located in Russellville, AR and Gulfport, MS, is a highly regarded provider of aluminum extrusions to a wide variety of industries including aerospace, infrastructure, transportation, defense, and thermal management. A minority-owned business enterprise which is ISO 9001, AS 9100, NADCAP, and ABS certified, Taber’s present and future customers can expect to see increased supply opportunities with the expanded set of extrusion solutions, programs, and services.

Founded in 1973, Taber Extrusions originally pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet which enables the company to extrude solid profiles up to 31 inches wide or hollows up to 29 inches. Taber expanded with the purchase of an extrusion facility in Gulfport, MS which houses a new state-of-the-art cast house and two additional presses, micro-extrusion capabilities, and the fabrication area has since been expanded multiple times. Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes and has diversified its markets beyond military since its inception and supplies cast and extruded aluminum products in a variety of soft and hard alloys.

Today, Taber Extrusions is proud of its added friction stir welding capabilities, full offering of extruded aluminum components, value-added machining services and raw material supply to the North American market. The addition of in-house FSW capabilities makes Taber Extrusions a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies never seen before in North America.

ALUMINUM EXTRUSIONS

A graphic with four square sections placed on top of a gradient steel beam background in varying shades of greyish blue hues. There are two collections of aluminum extrusion shape renderings; and the upper left reads “Aluminum Extrusions” with the official Taber logo prominently situated below.

Known as a leading aluminum extruder, Taber offers a full range of aluminum alloys including hard, soft, marine, and armor grade. Choose from 2000, 5000, 6000, and 7000 grades with custom chemistries available for specific metal fabrication needs. Taber’s aluminum extrusions range spans from less than 1 lb./ft. to over 140 lbs./ft., making Taber the broadest extruders of aluminum profiles in the industry. Their multi-void hollow capability is up to 29” wide, and they can produce solid extrusions up to 31” wide. As part of Taber’s value-added approach, they offer design assistance for custom and specialty aluminum profiles.

Taber also offers the only 28” x 10” rectangular container size in North America.

In a rectangular container, uniform metal flow in width and thickness of wider bars and profiles, the following is achieved in contrast to round container of similar geometry:

  • The flatness can be controlled to within 75% of AA specification on wide panel, multivoid hollow profiles of up to 29” width.
  • Contour on most profiles can be controlled as per the spec without secondary operations.
  • Superior dimension control and consistency throughout the length of the extruded profile.

FABRICATION CAPABILITIES

An extreme close-up photo of a CNC machine spindle with the words, “Introducing new state of the art aluminum fabrication facility – dedicated to innovation” in print on the right side.

Taber’s aluminum fabrication capabilities include precision sawing, horizontal machining and manufacturing, extra-large CNC machining, 5-axis CNC machining, multi-axis machining, and a vertical machining center. Taber’s cut tolerances cover length and squareness of cut (up to +/- .050″) across a maximum 36″ width (minimum cut length of .75″). These precision saw-cutting capabilities for rod & bar/standard extruded shapes and customized aluminum extrusion profiles saw cut with greater accuracy, providing their customers with a product precise enough to be loaded directly into their machining centers. The precision cut blanks save customers time and money compared to having to cut mill lengths in-house.

Machinery — Aluminum CNC machining services:

  • Haas VF-12… COMING SOON!! (Link to latest blog on this topic)
  • Haas VF-7
  • EMMEGI Satellite XT
  • OKK Horizontal Machining Center
  • Zeiss CMM

Machinery – Aluminum precision cutting & sawing services:

  • BO Saws B-800
  • Marvel Band Saw

Visit Taber Extrusions’ Fabrication web page for videos and details!

ALUMINUM CAST HOUSE

Taber Extrusion’s brightly lit, modernized Gulfport, Mississippi cast house, focus is on 16 large, stacked aluminum billets.

With the completion of a 2017 cast house modernization, Taber has increased its billet capacity by over 30%, expanded its range of high quality aluminum alloys (hard, soft, marine, aerospace, and defense), and enabled the use of more diverse scrap material in its process, allowing for the production of billet with high recycled content. “We have evolved into a fully integrated supplier with control over our raw materials by casting the alloys and diameters necessary to feed our extrusion presses,” says Eric Angermeier, President of Taber Extrusions.

Eric Angermeier, President of Taber Extrusions, seated at his desk with a welcoming smile.

“Our recent cast house modernization has significantly increased the billet quality that will flow through all aspects of our business. Our capabilities to serve diverse markets are greatly enhanced and we now have capacity for third party sales of extrusion billet and large forging stock,” Angermeier adds. (Read full article in Light Metal Age magazine here.)

Taber launched their “Billets Straight to You” (aluminum billets for immediate sale) campaign in 2020, which includes aluminum alloys 6061 and 6063, with 6005, 6005A, 6082 available upon request.

Taber Extrusion’s magazine ad showing a photo of billets being dipped for cooling by a Taber-branded billet lift, and the “Aluminum Alloys Straight to You” information, which is the same content provided in this article.

MICRO-EXTRUSIONS

A measuring ruler showing 6.5 inches with a series of micro extrusion shape renderings encapsulated in a 1” square box alongside 5 bullets of text explaining "Greater design flexibility, high-quality precision aluminum extrusions at machined tolerances, reduced costs, thin wall capability, and excellent surface finish."

Taber’s micro-extrusion manufacturing lines have a production envelope with a circle size of 3 inches or less and a weight per foot of 1 lb. or less. For comparison, the 8,600 ton press in Taber’s Russellville facility produces profiles with a minimum weight of 4 lbs. per foot.

Unlike traditional extrusion presses, these micro-extrusion presses are built to allow for the production of extrusions with wall thicknesses of 0.010 inches and tolerance capabilities of +/- 0.001 inches. These miniature extrusion production centers allow designers and engineers the freedom to create profiles that are un-extrudable through conventional presses.

Jason Weber, V.P. of Sales and Marketing at Taber Extrusions, wearing a light blue oxford and a white Polo zip-up sweater, smiling for the camera.

“As computers get smaller and smaller, the heat sinks used in those computers need to likewise get smaller… they can also be used in industrial applications, with housings for sensors, and in military applications, as components for drones. So, there’s a lot of market potential for micro-extrusions,” explains Jason Weber, Taber V.P. of Sales and Marketing, in Light Metal Age Magazine, 2018.

FRICTION STIR WELDING

Wide angle of Taber Extrusion’s friction stir welding machine with the headline in bold black capital letters, “FRICTION STIR WELDING: WE’RE READY FOR BUSINESS” with Taber’s official logo underneath.

Taber’s FSW capabilities include simultaneous two-side welding, double wall hollow extrusions up to 6.25 inches tall, 32 inches wide, and accepts lengths up to 65 feet long. Taber’s friction stir welding production cell is capable of creating panel assemblies 200 inches wide by 65 feet long, with integrated pre-joining profile trimming. With profile widths up to 31 inches, lengths up to 65 feet, and ability to weld up to 3/4 of an inch in a single pass, Taber has an operational envelope that is unmatched within the industry.

Friction stir welding is commonly used in the rail, automotive, marine & shipbuilding industries, military & defense, commercial & industrial construction, infrastructure, and in aviation & aerospace.

The addition of in-house FSW capabilities makes Taber Extrusions a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies never seen before in North America.

“This was an obvious next-step for Taber,” said Jason Weber, V.P. of Sales and Marketing, in a 2019 article by Light Metal Age Magazine, “the company was founded in 1973, and never stopped diversifying, adding new capabilities, and technologies. We are known for aluminum extrusions, fabrication, billet casting, ultra-precision extrusions. Friction stir welding was going to happen eventually.”

 

LEADING ALUMINUM EXTRUDER TABER

INDUSTRIES SERVED:

  • Government/military
  • Aircraft/aerospace
  • Marine/shipbuilding
  • Infrastructure
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Transportation
  • Rail car
  • Mining
  • Industrial
  • Agricultural
  • Sporting goods
  • Custom shapes for most any application

Taber Extrusions is a full-service partner with an unwavering commitment to consistently meeting and exceeding customer expectations by providing both products and service of the highest quality. This commitment is at the core of everything they do… making certain that whatever you can dream, they can give it shape.

Thank you for your continued support of Taber Extrusions. If you have any questions please visit taberextrusions.com or contact one of our Regional Sales Representatives.

Follow Taber Extrusions:

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/taberextrusions/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/taberextrusions/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions

Go to Top