A Different Approach to Aluminum Production

Slim aluminum system requires fewer steps in the workshop

Just because architects like to choose aluminum doesn’t mean the material is feasible for every project. Marc Mulders, Sales Manager for the Netherlands at Aliplast, sees this happen regularly. “Clients and architects would like to have aluminum window frames, but sometimes they can’t make it work within their budget. In the end, they end up choosing a different product.”

With its new Refine window and door system, Aliplast aims to bridge that gap. The system combines the look and properties of aluminum with a manufacturing process that requires fewer steps. This should make aluminum a viable option for more projects.

More efficient production and a better U-value

The basis for Refine was developed several years ago in Spain by Centroalum, which, like Aliplast, is part of the Corialis Group. Early last year, Aliplast investigated whether the concept might also be of interest to the Western European market. The system has now been developed to the point where production is possible; work is still underway on the final details of the hardware, among other things.

What makes Refine particularly special is the way it is manufactured. It is still an aluminum window and door system, but during its development, the team looked to the plastic window frame industry for efficient production methods. “With aluminum, production traditionally involves a relatively high amount of manual labor,” Mulders explains. “We looked at how we could reduce the number of steps involved.”

This is achieved, among other things, through the joints and by integrating components directly into the profile. As a result, certain rubber seals no longer need to be installed separately during production. Every step that is eliminated saves time. “This allows a manufacturer to achieve higher output with the same number of employees.”

According to Mulders, this allows Refine to be priced somewhere between plastic and traditional aluminum, while retaining the properties that architects seek in aluminum. He cites, among other things, the slim profiles, color options, and long lifespan. He also notes that thermal performance benefits from the different system design. “Compared to traditional aluminum systems, this allows us to achieve a better U-value.”

Processors Must Make the Switch

However, this different production method does mean that processors will have to adapt their familiar work methods. Mulders sees this as a key part of the market launch. “We have to convince people that they want to do things differently. On the other hand, they’ll be able to produce more efficiently.”

According to Mulders, Refine’s construction makes it relatively easy to separate the various materials from one another and to recycle the aluminum. This is only relevant in the long term: the ISSO/SBR document ‘Lifespan of Building Products’ specifies a lifespan of 75 years for aluminum exterior window frames. “Precisely when you’re looking that far ahead, it’s important that materials can be easily separated from one another again at the end of that lifespan.”

Architect@Work Rotterdam will be an important opportunity for Aliplast to introduce architects to Refine. Based on previous discussions with the market, Mulders has observed that there is interest in the concept. For the company, the location also has a nice connection to a recent project: Aliplast was involved in the Bernini Tower in Rotterdam, which won several awards late last year and early this year.