7 02, 2023

In Focus Spotlight: Meet Aundrea Clayton

2023-02-07T23:10:57+00:00February 7th, 2023|

A profile of Taber Extrusions' In Focus Spotlight, talent acquisition and resource manager, Aundrea Clayton

Name and Formal title at Taber

Aundrea Clayton, Talent Acquisition & Retention Specialist

What are your job duties & responsibilities?

Attract, recruit and guide candidates through the selection process; work with managers and supervisors to continuously improve the overall employee experience to drive retention and support turnover/stability goals.  This gives the opportunity to really get to know our employees.

Where did you work prior to Taber; same industry or something totally different?

I have worked in the workforce development field for more than a decade.  I am a certified Career Development Facilitator and I partnered with Taber for years in my previous position to provide staffing solutions.

What do you hope to bring to Taber in terms of leadership and company culture through your role?

In my position I am able to really get to know our employees and provide support. I am the first member of Team Taber that new employees speak and meet with, and I work diligently to ensure our employees feel valued and respected. All of us at Taber work to embody our core values of stewardship, ownership, integrity, and respect. My hope is that employees see me as someone who cares about them and about the success of Taber.

Taber Extrusions' In Focus Spotlight Aundrea Clayton in side-by-side images: with another female in red football t-shirts and blue jeans on left, in a boat holding a fish on the right
Side-by-side image of Taber Extrusions' In Focus Spotlight Aundrea Clayton with husband on the left and with daughters on the right.

When you’re not at work, what would we find you doing?

When I’m not at work, you would find me spending time with my family.  We enjoy the outdoors and just spending time hanging out. During college football season you would find us watching the Hogs play…WPS!  I also help coach my grandchildren’s sports teams.

Hometown? 

I was born and raised here in Pope County.  I am a graduate of Dover High School and Arkansas Tech University.

Family? Children?

Family is my priority!  My parents are a big part of my life, my husband was one of my best friends growing up and still is today.  We have 2 grown daughters; Madison and Delaney and 4 of the most amazing grandchildren; Blakeleigh, Aubree, Phoebe and Treat.

Collage with Taber Extrusions' In Focus Spotlight Aundrea Clayton: top image with extended family, four images below with Aundrea and children.

Favorite part about working for Taber so far?

My favorite part about working at Taber is definitely the people!  This is the part of my job that is so much fun, I am able to get to know our employees.  We have some of the hardest working individuals in the Arkansas River Valley.  I am proud to have the opportunity to work with this team.

What sets Taber apart from other companies that deliver the exact same things?

We are constantly working towards improvement.  In my role, I am able to recruit not only hardworking, skilled candidates but also those who have a positive attitude and embody our core values.

Taber is growing rapidly. Any advice for those looking to join the Taber team?

I would say, get to know Taber!  At Taber you have a voice that will be heard by leadership. If you are hardworking and want to be a part of a great team, take a look at what we have to offer!

What do you think the future holds for Taber?

I see a strong future for Taber which includes growth and continuous improvement.

Taber Extrusions' 3D logo: the word TABER is all caps and silver over an inverted triangle made with 5 gold horizontal bars, a drop shadow beneath, in front of a white background

More About Taber Extrusions: 

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, microextrusion 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. For these markets, the company supplies cast and extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys.

Today, Taber Extrusions has completed the addition of in-house friction stir welding capabilities, and carries on their offering of extruded aluminum components, value-added machining services, and raw material supply to the North American market – making them a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies never before seen in North America.

Follow Taber Extrusions

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

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

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

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions

Learn about other team members of Taber Extrusions through our In Focus Spotlight.

Interested in becoming a part of the Taber Team?  Submit 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.

12 07, 2022

Meet Kie Kie Carter

2022-07-12T20:39:01+00:00July 12th, 2022|

Formal title at Taber

Sales & Marketing/ Customer Service Representative

Job duties & responsibilities

My responsibilities are to review the requests for quotes on product(s), to make certain that here at Taber we comprehend and meet our customer needs. Following the initial review, I prepare a quote based on the customers inquiry.

Where did you work prior to Taber; same industry or something totally different?

Prior to working at Taber, I was working with the State with the Mississippi Department of Human Services. The working space environment was similar, but this was totally different from what I do here at Taber. My primary responsibility with MDHS was to provide available resources and services for Mississippians that could sustain families.

When you’re not at work, what would we find you doing?

When I’m not at work, I am spending time with my children. I have (2), a daughter (17) and a son (8). I love to fish for catfish. I love to workout, or go for bike rides. My son keeps me active. My daughter is a movie buff, so when it’s time to wind down, you can find us on the couch binge watching movies, or shopping.

Hometown? 

I was born and raised in Saginaw, Mi. I joined the U.S Navy immediately after high school, where my MOS was a cook. I have been stationed in Sigonella, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, and few shore duties. I am not a fan of the snow or the cold, which is why Mississippi has been home for almost 20 years now.

Favorite part about working for Taber so far?

What I enjoy best from working here at Taber, is that no one is a stranger. Everyone that you meet becomes friend, and that friend becomes family.

In my opinion, that is what the backbone of an organization builds on, people that you can trust and depend on to get the job done.

What sets Taber apart from other companies that deliver the exact same things?

Our outstanding teamwork, our customer service, and our ability to provide our customers with exactly what they are looking for.

Taber is growing rapidly. Any advice for those looking to join the Taber team?

For those looking to join the team I would say, come ready and with an open mind to experience the dynamic of what teamwork stands for. When we work together is when we can be effective and efficient to the best of our ability. Every member, department must be able to count on one another in order to get the job done safely and correctly.

More About Taber Extrusions: 

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, microextrusion 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. For these markets, the company supplies cast and extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys.

Today, Taber Extrusions has completed the addition of in-house friction stir welding capabilities, and carries on their offering of extruded aluminum components, value-added machining services, and raw material supply to the North American market – making them a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies never before seen in North America.

Follow Taber Extrusions

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

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

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions

Interested in becoming a part of the Taber Team?  Submit 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.

3 04, 2022

Our Top Aluminum Microextrusion Blogs of All Time

2022-07-08T17:14:48+00:00April 3rd, 2022|

Blue shaded gradient over a photograph of a bridge tower and its suspension cables on the left and the U.S. flag on the right. Taber’s logo is at the very top and beneath it are the words, “The Shape of Endless Possibilities.” The logos designating minority-owned business enterprise (ISO 9001, AS 9100, NADCAP, and ABS-certified) are across the bottom in white print.

A lot has been said about the future of nano and microtechnology. This area of aluminum extrusion, which focuses on creating ever smaller products, promises solutions to age-old problems. On the silver screen, sci-fi productions have shown nano bots crawling into humans as a futuristic form of medicine. The Terminator film franchise explored the military potential of nano technology in a self-healing liquid metal of robots. Yet, examples like these are not actually all that farfetched. From self-healing metal to invasive medicine, a whole new realm of possibilities has been opened by tiny manufacturing.

At Taber, we are part of this revolution with our microextrusions. Like conventional aluminum extrusions, microextrusions are pushed through a die. Unlike conventional extrusions, the entire extrusion process is performed at a submillimeter level. In other words, the resulting product’s cross section can fit through a 1-millimeter square. Our microextrusions have found application in a wide range of industries, which we have previously explored in a series of articles on these miniscule creations.

1) Taber: Microextrusions for Defense and Aerospace

6 military jets flying across a blue sky above two military vehicles (tank and a ship) facing away from each other. The words “Taber: Microextrusions for Defense and Aerospace” are in black above the ship.

Taber Extrusions has experienced many evolutions since its founding in the early 1970s. Taber pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet of solid profiles up to 31 inches wide or hollows up to 29 inches. Since then, it increased Taber’s billet capacity, alloy range, and ability to reuse materials. Within the last decade, fabrication capabilities were upgraded, friction stir welding was added, and of course, microextrusions became an offering. Lightweight, strong, and widely functional, microextrusions are perfect for military and aerospace components. Interior aircraft systems, AC condensers, communication systems, and firearm components all use microextrusions. Read more about it here.

2) Process, Benefits, and Examples of Medical Microextrusions

A darkened photograph of a medical room with a bunch of white medical appliances. The words, “Process, Benefits, and Examples of Medical Microextrusions” are positioned on top of the photo in white.

You don’t have to go in for a colonoscopy to understand the benefit of smaller medical tools. The microextrusions used in medicine include components that overwhelmingly support cardio- and neurovascular procedures, drug delivery, IV procedures, and other procedures that require work on a micro level. An added challenge for medical manufacturing is that conventional extrusion machinery is not quite precise enough, so it calls for special machinery. Medical microextrusions are created at a very slow rate to maintain the physical properties of the delicate material and create ultra-precise extrusions.

3) Microextrusions in the Consumer Electronics Sector

A lengthwise photograph of an open computer motherboard with all the different ports and circuits exposed, many of which are made of aluminum microextrusions. In the center of the photo are the words, “Microextrusions in the Consumer Electronics Sector” in white text.

The most widespread and easy-to-spot place where miniature extrusions are making a difference in consumer products is in electronic products. Portable, durable, and complex, computational devises like laptops and smartphones have increasingly smaller parts. From enclosures to motherboards and LED profile bays, microextrusions have become a fundamental part of electronic devices. This article outlines more aspects of consumer electronics that use precision aluminum extrusions in their design.

Often used in medical and surgical procedures, microtubing is a highly-valued type of microextrusion. Aluminum can provide three times as much volume per pound as other metal products – so when too much weight is detrimental, aluminum is an obvious choice. Aluminum is also anti-corrosive, making it an ideal material for many types of environments.

A metal ruler lying flat on the surface of a table showing a length of 8 inches, while several aluminum microtubes are suspended above the ruler and the words “Aluminum Microtubing Rapidly Developing in Sync: Microextrusions” are in black above the ruler and on top of the tubes.
Blue shaded gradient over a photograph of a bridge tower and its suspension cables on the left and the U.S. flag on the right. Taber’s logo is at the very top and beneath it are the words, “The Shape of Endless Possibilities.” The logos designating minority-owned business enterprise (ISO 9001, AS 9100, NADCAP, and ABS-certified) are across the bottom in white print.

This last blog outlines Taber’s capabilities, ranging from friction stir welding to microextrusions. Through Taber’s unwavering commitment, present and future customers can expect expanded extrusion solutions, programs, and services in the coming years… and find endless possibilities. Read more about it here.

Despite its broad application in today’s products, the potential of microextrusions is still just being explored. As miniature aluminum extrusions become smaller and more precise, industries will continue to find new ways to create futuristic solutions to modern problems. Taber offers the highest levels of quality and the broadest range of capabilities in the industry, designed to be ready for whatever design tomorrow brings.

 

Taber Extrusions: Summary

Founded in 1973, Taber Extrusions originally pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet, enabling 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 the 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 complete 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.

Follow Taber Extrusions

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

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

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions

22 02, 2022

Meet Taber President Charles Stout

2022-03-02T21:56:19+00:00February 22nd, 2022|

Formal title at Taber

President

Job duties & responsibilities

Responsible for the overall performance of Taber Extrusions

Where did you work prior to Taber; same industry or something totally different?

I have spent the previous 5+ years at another aluminum extrusion company.  Prior to that I worked in different industries focused on Aerospace, Defense, and Automotive.  Before venturing into the world of manufacturing, I spent almost 10 years in the United States navy as a Nuclear Machinist’s Mate Chief.

What do you hope to bring to Taber in terms of leadership and company culture?

Taber has a lot of strengths and a great reputation.  What I hope to bring is a renewed focus on ownership, accountability, focus, and driving results.

When you’re not at work, what would we find you doing?

I spend most of my free time with my family or working on projects at home.  I also enjoy sports and love College football.  Many have also learned quickly that I am an avid reader / Audible listener.  I am in a constant state of learning both personally and professionally.

Hometown? 

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky but grew up on my grandparent’s farm in southern Indiana.

Family, children? 

I have been married to my wife Denice for 28 years and we have 2 great kids.  Our daughter Ashley is 26 and works as a Physician Assistant (PA) in the intensive care burn unit at the university of North Carolina Medical Center in Chapel Hill, NC.   Our son Dustin is 24 and he lives with us.  He was diagnosed with autism at a very young age, and he is non-verbal but uses his iPad to communicate.  He is my greatest teacher as I have learned to communicate in ways I never had before.  He has also provided lessons in empathy and not underestimating anyone’s potential or abilities. 

Favorite part about working for Taber so far?

People – everyone has been very welcoming, and they have been willing to answer my multitude of questions.  No matter where you work it ultimately comes down to people that determines if you will be successful. 

What sets Taber apart from other companies that deliver the exact same things?

I really don’t believe any other company can deliver the exact same thing Taber does.  We have had some struggles lately but the capabilities we possess coupled with excellent customer service cannot be matched in the industry.

Taber is growing rapidly. Any advice for those looking to join the Taber team?

Strap in and hold on. 

What do you think the future holds for Taber?

The future is determined by our collective vision, efforts, and results.  Where we go and how we perform is all about what we do as a team and has very little to do with what is going on around us. 

More About Taber Extrusions: 

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, microextrusion 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. For these markets, the company supplies cast and extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys.

Today, Taber Extrusions has completed the addition of in-house friction stir welding capabilities, and carries on their offering of extruded aluminum components, value-added machining services, and raw material supply to the North American market – making them a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies never before seen in North America.

Follow Taber Extrusions

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

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

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions

Interested in becoming a part of the Taber Team?  Submit 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.

6 03, 2015

Ford’s F-150 Winning Over Public Opinion

2015-06-18T15:33:03+00:00March 6th, 2015|

The aluminum-based F-150 landed to strong reviews from the automotive press, but what really matters is how the public receives it. What’s the opinion so far? Based on both sales data and anecdotal vendor evidence, people are quite pleased with what aluminum can do. From Louisville Business First:

The company said retail sales of its F-Series pickup trucks were up 7 percent. It said the F-150, which features a standard new aluminum body this model year, was the fastest-turning vehicle on dealer lots.

To get some perspective on this, I had a conversation with Greg Howell, sales consultant at Carriage Ford in Clarksville. He said customers he’s spoke to about the aluminum truck are both knowledgeable and excited about them.

Many Carriage customers have owned Fords previously and are familiar with the changes to the body. He said if they do have questions, it’s usually about body work — as some are wondering whether getting an aluminum body will increase the cost of repairs. Ford has done a pretty good job with explaining to customers that the aluminum is more dent resistant, he said. He also said repairs do not cost more because Ford has sent plenty of military grade aluminum to dealerships and provided training on working with it.

Of course, sales data really only matters over the long haul but you’d definitely rather start strong to build buzz and word of mouth. It looks like the F-150 is doing its part there, and we’ll know more in a few months when Ford evaluates the first half of the fiscal year.

26 02, 2015

Rolls-Royce Selects Aluminum For Not-Quite-SUV Announcement

2015-06-18T15:33:03+00:00February 26th, 2015|

European automakers must be impressed with how durable the aluminum-based Ford F-150 is doing. Rolls-Royce, the legendary British luxury car company, is designing a new vehicle capable of handling any terrain. While they haven’t explicitly used the term SUV, you can kind of see where this is going. Most importantly, Rolls-Royce has already declared that it will have an aluminum body. From MLive.com:

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is building the first SUV in the British luxury automotive company’s 111-year history, though the company is calling the forthcoming vehicle about everything but an SUV.

Company Chairman Peter Schwarzenbauer and CEO Torsten Mueller-Ortvoes said in an open letter Wednesday that the new model will be “a high-bodied car, with an all-new aluminium architecture” and one that “offers the luxury of a Rolls-Royce in a vehicle that can cross any terrain.”

It is not immediately clear when or where the company, a division of BMW Group, plans to give the public a first look at the yet-to-be-named off-roader. But the announcement that it plans to move forward with the new car comes shortly after rival luxury automaker Bentley announced a name for an SUV it too is building: the Bentley Bentayga.

Between the F-150 and Rolls-Royce’s not-quite-SUV vehicle, it’s clear that aluminum can handle even the most rugged of circumstances. And we’re pretty sure that Rolls-Royce won’t have to use buzzwords like Ford’s “military-grade aluminum” to sell this car.

6 02, 2015

New Aluminum Alloy May Be Titanium’s Biggest Competitor

2017-01-26T23:37:28+00:00February 6th, 2015|

Titanium is often regarded in the manufacturing industry for its strength and weight. However, cost is always an issue when it comes to titanium, so material scientists looked to aluminum for a comparable alternative. Their solution? An iron-aluminum alloy capable of performing just as well as titanium. The only difference is that this new alloy comes at just 10% of titanium’s cost. From Gizmodo:

A team from Pohang University of Science and Technology, in South Korea have manipulated the structure of an iron-aluminum alloy to create a new kind of material that could find application in everything from bicycles to airplanes.

Steel is renowned for its strength and low price, but is very heavy. To make use of it in scenarios that demand light weight—without resorting to buying titanium—material scientists often alloy it with aluminum, which is light and also mercifully cheap. The mixture of aluminum and steel also usually includes a sprinkling of manganese to make it less brittle, but even then, the material is still usually too brittle for use in vehicles.

Now, the team from South Korea has added nickel to the mixture. The addition of this metal brings about a reaction with some of the contained aluminum, forming what are known as B2 crystals. Sitting both within the grains of steel in the alloy and at their boundaries too, the crystals—just a few nanometres in size—resist shear forces in the material. Because, ultimately, all materials fail by shear, where one layer of atoms slides across the other, taking microscopic cracks with it, increasing the resistance to shear forces increases the strength and stops the material failing by cracking.

Enough, in fact, to provide the new alloy with the same strength as titanium. The mix of steel and aluminium also provides a density similarly to that of the more expensive metal, too. The raw materials and (proposed) processing techniques also mean that the material could, when made at scale, cost just a tenth of what titanium does, too.

This new material is beginning to see mass production. If its early tests hold up, it could be one of the biggest manufacturing revolutions the metal industry has seen. Stay tuned on this one…

29 01, 2015

Are Aluminum-Air Batteries The Next Big Thing In Power?

2015-06-18T15:33:03+00:00January 29th, 2015|

Tesla pushed the use of aluminum in cars forward with its groundbreaking (and award-winning) Model-S. However, it still used traditional lithium-ion technology to power its batteries. Aluminum may pave the way for a new advancement in electric car technology, but this time it’s in the area of power, not structure. Can a mix of aluminum and water become the battery of the near-future? From Extreme Tech:

On the one hand, breakthroughs in Li-ion designs and construction are responsible for the Tesla Model S, new installations, green energy research, and the modern smartphone. On the other hand, lithium-ion limitations are the reason why most EVs have a range of 40-60 miles, the Model S costs upwards of $80,000, and why your smartphone can’t last all day on a single charge. For all its promise and capability, lithium-ion has limited long-term utility — which is why a new announcement from Fuji Pigment is so interesting. The company is claiming that its new aluminum-air batteries can run for up to two weeks and be refilled with normal water.

That said, there are question, too. The hydrated aluminum oxide solution produced during the battery’s normal operation would need to be recycled in some fashion, it’s not clear that fresh water is as effective an aqueous solution as saltwater (meaning there might be specific need for one particular kind of solution). The final price is also unknown, though previous estimations had put the cost of an Al-air system at roughly $1.1 per kg of aluminum anode. This was not given in precise terms relative to the cost of gasoline (and the weight of the aluminum anode in these batteries is unknown), but the team that performed that analysis noted that proper recycling would put Al-air in the same cost range as conventional internal combustion engines.

Fuji Pigment has stated that it intends to commercialize this technology as early as this year, which means we could see test demonstrations and proof of concepts by 2016. Whether auto manufacturers will jump for the technology remains to be seen — car companies tend to be conservative and Tesla has already thrown its weight behind the further use of lithium-ion technology.

For a deeper look at just how this battery works on a technical level, head over to Extreme Tech and read the full article.

18 12, 2014

Ford Sees Recycling As Key To New F-150

2015-06-18T15:33:03+00:00December 18th, 2014|

It’s already well known that the Ford F-150’s body switched from steel to aluminum, but now further details are coming out regarding the actual manufacturing process. It turns out that Ford’s decided on a zero-waste system when it comes to aluminum thanks to the metal’s recycling capabilities. Not only does this result in a cost savings for the company, it helps minimize the amount of resources used and wasted during manufacturing. From the Wall Street Journal:

The 2015 F-150, perhaps the most important vehicle to hit Ford dealerships in decades, goes on sale this month. By the time a new truck exits the factory and heads for the showroom, it will have left behind $300 worth of scrap aluminum on the plant floor.

That scrap is collected, cleaned, and sent back to the aluminum plant on the same trucks that delivered it fresh—creating what Chief Executive Mark Fields calls a “closed loop” that helps offset the expense of building its best-selling vehicle with a material that is far pricier than steel.

“Every single scrap of aluminum is reused,” Mr. Fields said in an interview. “The more you can reuse or recycle, it makes it a more compelling business case.”

Every day, about 50 semi tractor-trailers drive out of Ford’s F-150 plant in Dearborn, Mich., with thousands of pounds of shredded aluminum, scrap that was stamped out of six-foot-wide aluminum rolls used to make F-150 body panels. Only 60% to 65% of a roll is actually used in the stamping process because many body panels have big holes, such as windows.

Because aluminum can be recycled almost endlessly without degradation, recycling has long played a major role in the production of everything from beer cans to jumbo jets. The twist is that Ford installed systems to separate the six different aluminum alloys it uses and return them to mills in Iowa or New York, to be turned back into aluminum sheet for delivery to its Dearborn stamping plant.

For more on the technology behind Ford’s recycling process, be sure to check out the full WSJ article.

12 11, 2014

Aluminum-Based Ford F-150 Hits Manufacturing Floor

2015-06-18T15:33:03+00:00November 12th, 2014|

It’s time to put all of the testing and speculation aside. Ford’s aluminum pride and joy, the 2015 F-150, has finally gone into full production, and the first vehicle off the assembly line got a rousing ovation at the Dearborn, Michigan facility. From the Detroit News:

Shortly before 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, Dearborn Truck plant manager Brad Huff and UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles drove the first 2015 F-150 pickup — painted cherry red — off the assembly line and into history.

Ford Motor Co.’s newest truck, made with an aluminum body and bed that saves up to 700 pounds, marks a significant milestone for the Dearborn automaker and is a potential game-changer for the industry. The launch completes years of research and development after Ford overhauled nearly every aspect of the building process from exterior painting to interior design.

The lightweight material is expected to increase gas mileage 5 percent to 20 percent, but is more costly to make and repair — a big gamble for Ford’s best-selling vehicle. The launch also marks a rebirth for the Dearborn Truck Plant, centerpiece of the venerable Rouge Center that was nearly shuttered before finding new life to build the truck. The plant underwent a multi-million dollar renovation this year.

“We’re here today to make history,” executive chairman Bill Ford said as hundreds of workers cheered. “The Rouge has always been at the heart of Ford to me and my family.”

Now that production is in full force, showrooms are expecting to get their inventory sometime within the next month. The early word in reviews and press has been positive, but the ultimate vote comes down to the consumer. With its increased gas mileage and signature durability, we’re guessing it will be a winner.

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