Build it, and they will come.
It’s a classic line from the movie “Field of Dreams,” in which baseball legends of long ago emerge from an Iowa cornfield to play on a newly built diamond.
That image is an apt metaphor for the evolution that has gripped the perforating industry in the past decade. Except that these players prefer perforated metal to wooden bats.
Manufacturers have stepped up to the plate, building on their capabilities and services in order to provide architects with complete perforated metal systems.
Perforated metal is widely used for aesthetic value and functionality in a variety of applications: perforated sunshades and canopies that block light and reduce energy costs; column covers that uplift bland support structures into the realm of high style; cladding and infill panels that provide privacy, security and safety while adding a clean, sleek look; acoustical panels for sound abatement in large, open areas; ceiling and floor panels that add a touch of modern style; signs and lighting fixtures dramatic visual impact.
Not only is perforated metal versatile, but it also provides design flexibility with a practically limitless array of opening sizes and styles. A menu of available metals includes stainless steel, aluminum, carbon steel, galvanized, brass, copper and foil-each available in a variety of finishes.
Vision to reality
Throw in the fact that the metal can be used inside or out and is practically maintenance-free, and it’s easy to see why architects have latched on to this unique combination of functionality, strength and beauty.
But there was a problem.
It was simple when they only needed specs for perforated panels, but architects were pretty much on their own when it came to figuring out the details on complicated custom jobs. What type of framing would be used to hold the panels? How would the panels attach to the building? How could signs attach to the panels? What type of brackets would work best?
While fielding these types of questions, some perforators have recognized the demand for entire structural systems. As a result, they have ramped up their engineering, technical and manufacturing capabilities to provide total-solution attachment methods for architects looking for a cost-effective, easy means of installation.
Perforators on the cutting edge of this evolution are providing custom products and the full service that those that simply “punch holes in metal” can’t provide. By getting involved with architects early, these innovators are bringing visions to reality and ensuring that designs can be manufactured and installed at reasonable costs.
Balancing function and budgets Kirk Bellis, product development manager for Hendrick Architectural Products, says: “It’s not just flat sheets, but work that involves bending, welding, forming. And once that is complete, there’s often the request that our crew handle the installation.”
For example, Hendrick, of Carbondale, Pa., has an ongoing relationship with a national electronics retailer that is in the process of remodeling the inside and outside of its big-box stores. For this customer, it was vital that Hendrick not only manufacture perforated panels for the stores’ exteriors but also supply the entire system for framing and attaching the panels to the buildings.
“Over the years, we’ve positioned ourselves to quote that kind of work,” Bellis said.
And it’s a good position to be in as architects increasingly look for a complete solution so as to save design time, avoid delays and changes on the job site, and keep costs under control.
“Build it, and they will come” resonates with architects who need to balance a project’s aesthetics and function against the demands of a balance sheet. They want one vendor for the perforation, the fabrication and the installation.
The perforating industry and architects have seized upon a winning strategy. And a one-stop solution is the name of the game.
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Neal Goulet is a writer with more than 20 years of experience following business trends, including those in architecture and construction. To learn more about total-solution perforating visit www.hendrickarchproducts.com.