Long-time aluminum experts, Taber Extrusions, expand capacity with investments into the latest metalworking machinery
For over 50 years, Taber Extrusions has been providing second-to-none aluminum extrusion services to customers across North America. The company has a long history of success working with the naval and aerospace defense sectors. Company President, Chuck Stout, begins with some company details: “Taber Extrusions has been around since the early 1970s. We are a private company wholly owned by NMLP, which is a holding company based in Chicago. We have a facility in Gulfport, Mississippi, and another one in Russellville, Arkansas. In the latter facility, we have a large extrusion press which manages a lot of our large-scale production. 
“The process starts with the raw material. Aluminum has a range of different alloys, we extrude both hard and soft allows which include 2000, 5,000, 6,000, and 7,000 series. Using our processes and technology, we can convert that into a large variety of shapes that customers may require. The raw material for the extrusion press starts out in log form, resembling a telephone pole. It’s cut into different lengths, depending on the customer’s specification, and once cut, we take the log and convert it into a profile, which essentially means we heat the aluminum to allow it to flow through a die under pressure to create a useful shape which can be used as a component by our customers. These components can be utilized in a variety of applications that include aerospace vehicles such as airplanes and helicopters.
“It’s not just aircrafts that we help produce, we also have customers in several different industries including the automotive industry. Our work carries a wide variety of applications for automotive partners, such as truck trailer components, large haulage vehicle support, and structural components. In addition, we work to support the US Navy. We provide missile container components, decking for naval ships, and components for a variety of ship types. We also provide a range of weaponry, from hunting bows to firearms, and so forth.
“Finally, we work closely with a handful of partners in the building management, distribution, and construction sectors. Thanks to the variety of applications aluminum extrusion carries with it, we’re able to work in a multitude of different industries, providing each one with unique components that are fit for purpose.”
Advanced automation
The company has recently invested in the renovation of its Russellville facility, as Chuck details: “We’re always striving to stay one step ahead of the competition. We noticed that across the industry, there was a demand for large profile hard and soft alloys, something that very few competitors were offering. With such limited supply, it seemed like a smart strategic move for us to grow our support for this market.
“We have invested significantly in our existing facilities over the past few years and have plans to modernize our press here in the Russellville facility over the coming year, but it’s important to balance these advances with day-to-day demand. Our press can’t be out of action for long. Once it is updated, however, it will allow us to produce even more profiles. What’s more, we’ll be able to produce our existing offering more efficiently. Currently, if a customer needs a 30-inch profile, we produce three ten-inch profiles and weld them together. The new press will allow us to cut 30 inches off the bat, as well as any measurement in between.”
The recently announced new press facility will boast one of the largest direct extrusion presses in North America. With this added capacity and capability, Taber Extrusions can expand its offering and streamline its service. “The new press will be a 16”, 10,000 ton press, with an extrusion line designed for both hard and soft alloy. We also have a state-of-the-art quench, heat treatment, and handling system, which will greatly enhance our productivity, capability, and energy efficiency. All of this means that from the time the log is loaded, to the moment it reaches the packing area, no human must touch the product. It’s one of the most advanced automation systems you’ll see across our industry,” enthuses Chuck.
Environmentally conscious operation
For Taber Extrusions, environmental consciousness and efficiency go hand in hand. As Chuck affirms: “The great thing about aluminum is that it’s 100 percent recyclable, forever and ever. That means we’ve been able to develop a closed loop scrap process. All of our scrap gets recycled back into our own facility, so that it can be re-melted and that material can be put to good use. Another benefit of working with aluminum is that it becomes more efficient to process with each re-use, meaning we use far less energy on recycled material. These processes ensure that we can run an environmentally conscious operation with a greatly reduced carbon output.”
As a future-thinking forerunner of industry, Taber Extrusions will likely continue to expand in the coming years. As Chuck concludes: “When I look toward the future, I’m always thinking about growth. We are an industry leader at the moment, especially in the production of hard-alloy defense components and large profiles. I want us to stay ahead of the curve and manage our growth strategically and effectively. It’s not just about being a leader in terms of size, either, I want us to be at the forefront of quality, safety, and customer service. I want us to be known as a company that’s easy to do business with. As long as we keep delivering what our customers need in the time that they need it, we’ll be on the right track.”