When you order aluminium profiles for a sign project, the small details matter.

That is why we have recently invested in a new extraction system for our aluminium conversion process at Sign Trade Supplies, helping us remove more aluminium swarf during cutting and send out even cleaner profiles to our customers.

It is not the biggest change we have ever made, but it is another practical investment in making our aluminium processing and supply service better for UK sign makers.

Why aluminium swarf matters

Cutting aluminium extrusions naturally produces swarf, including small chips and fragments of aluminium.

If this swarf remains around the profile after cutting, it can potentially move during handling and transport. Aluminium swarf trapped against a finished surface can contribute to scratching, particularly when profiles are being packed and transported around the country.

For sign makers working with pre-finished (powder coated, anodised) aluminium profiles, avoiding unnecessary surface damage really matters. Nobody wants to open a delivery ahead of a time-sensitive job and find profiles that require additional cleaning or attention before they can be used.

Our new saw extraction upgrade is designed to improve the removal of swarf at the cutting stage, helping profiles leave the saw cleaner before they move through the rest of our packing and despatch process.

British-made and installed by Mardon Engineering

The new extraction unit was manufactured in Britain and installed for us by Mardon Engineering.

Their engineers were extremely helpful throughout the installation and have given us an extraction setup better suited to the aluminium processing taking place in our warehouse.

The result is straightforward: improved aluminium swarf extraction and cleaner profiles coming off the saw.

A small upgrade that makes a practical difference

For us, this investment is part of a much bigger picture.

Sign Trade Supplies has been supplying the sign industry since 1989, and our focus continues to be on making life easier for sign makers.

That means stocking an extensive range of aluminium profiles and sign-specific fixings, offering no minimum order quantities across our core ranges and supporting sign makers with nationwide delivery. It also means continually looking at what happens behind the scenes.

• Can we process an order more efficiently?
• Can we package products more securely?
• Can we reduce the chance of damage in transit?
• Can we make sure the aluminium arriving at a customer's workshop is as clean and ready to use as possible?

The new saw extraction system is one more improvement towards those goals.

Supporting sign makers with aluminium profiles across the UK

For small sign businesses in particular, time spent cleaning materials, dealing with damaged profiles or waiting for replacements is time that could be spent manufacturing and installing the job.

That is why we continue to invest in our aluminium stockholding, handling, processing and packaging capabilities.

Whether you need a single length for a one-off sign or aluminium profiles for a larger project, our aim is to make ordering as straightforward as possible and get the right materials into your workshop ready for the job.

Our range includes aluminium sign posts, box sections, sign channels, framing profiles and other aluminium extrusions used throughout the UK sign industry.

Continuing to invest in better service

There will always be bigger, more exciting machinery investments to talk about, but improvements like this are equally important.

Cleaner cutting, better extraction, careful handling and secure packaging all contribute to the same outcome: getting quality aluminium products to sign makers in the condition they expect.

Our latest saw extraction upgrade is another small investment in doing exactly that, and there will be plenty more to come.