Leading building products manufacturer Steadmans has invested £400,000 in a new state-of-the-art production line for the popular AS30 single-skin panels at its Carlisle headquarters.
The development means Steadmans has invested about £1m in upgrading its production lines during the last year, as a new facility for its AS35 range of insulated composite cladding panels was installed around 12 months ago.
Production capacity for AS30 panels has more than doubled as a result of the new installation. The line will also reduce material waste, as panels can now be sheared to exact lengths, which operators pre-programme for each order.
In addition, the new line is delivering time savings, as it sorts the sheets into order packs and discharges them for wrapping, when complete, automatically. This removes the need for manual handling and allows the next job to start immediately. The line can also apply film or fleece to the panels as required.
Nigel Forsyth, manufacturing director, Steadmans, said: “We’re delighted with this addition to the factory and improvement it has brought to our manufacturing capacity. The leading-edge rolling line means we’re now able to operate more efficiently and meet customers’ requirements even faster.
“Naturally, safety is also paramount for us, so the line incorporates full and electronic light guarding. We’ve had an installation team on-site too and their guiding and training of our staff has meant we’ve really been able to hit the ground running.”
Steadmans’ AS30 single skin roof and wall systems consist of coated steel sheets rolled to five different profiles; they may be used to form roofs - down to four degree pitch (six degree if rooflights and required) - and walls. The systems include a comprehensive range of fixings, sealants, guttering, flashings and rooflights. AS single skin roof and wall profiles are manufactured in process certified to ISO 9001:2008.
Comprising two outer steel skins with an integral PIR insulation core, AS35 insulated panels are available in a wide range of colours and complement Steadmans’ broad variety of pre-engineered construction products, such as gutters, rooflights and doors.
The company’s AS35 panels are manufactured in a quality process also certified to ISO 9001:2008, using non-ozone depleting technology. This provides designers with an environmentally-responsible product, with excellent thermal performance and a predicted service life of 40 years. Available in a range of thicknesses, the panels can be specified to achieve insulation U-values, aiding compliance with the latest L2 regulations. The panels are also Loss Prevention Certification Board approved.
