I just found out that AAMA 620 was folded into the 2011 edition of AAMA 2605. Time to revise spec masters folks.
BTW, Follansbee Steel has closed its doors. Here’s hoping that someone picks up their assets and keeps the good times rolling.
Follansbee? Really? This question came up last week and their website and phone number were working fine. We called to be certain. Wow. Things happen fast.
On seeing the first post, I emailed the Follansbee rep and it bounced.
Come guys, do your homework.
Just posting a note like this is meaningless without sources. Information like this has been wrong before in the past.
Emailing a rep is one thing, but bouncing or not is meaningless. Bouncing may only mean that the rep is no longer with them.
Just put the company name in google or some other search engine and tap the enter key, you get back notices from many sources about current news if there is any.
So, doing that it returns several sources date for January 12 and 13, of which I chose the Charleston, WV Gazette which quote an AP source…
"January 13, 2012
Follansbee Steel plans shutdown, looks for buyer
By The Associated Press
FOLLANSBEE, W.Va. – West Virginia steelmaker Follansbee Steel plans to cease operations and is looking for a buyer.
Media outlets report that company officials informed workers of the decision on Thursday.
Follansbee Steel says in a statement that the shutdown includes its Sheet Metal Specialty Division and will affect 36 workers.
Follansbee Steel attributed the decision to “sustained unfavorable business conditions.”
The company makes corrosion-resistant steel for use in products such as exterior walls and roofs.
Executive vice president Mark Robinson says the company is filling the orders it has but will not accept any new orders for materials it doesn’t have."
My Master spec has always listed Follansbee as the only provider of zinc-tin alloy-coated (terne-coated)stainless steel sheet. Are there other providers of that material?
Try McNeilus Steel, Inc.; locations in WI, MN and SD.
Doesn’t surprise me…I was told long ago their lead times were…very long…and customer service that bordered on arrogance.
I contacted the regional sales rep & rec’d a message indicating that Follansbee continues to operate, although they’re not coating any new product – just fulfilling orders from material they have in stock. The owners are hoping to find a buyer, so there is some chance the operation will continue.
Follansbee has in the past licensed their ZT alloy coating technology to other metal producers, which I understand is the arrangement for Revere’s FreedomGray coated copper product. So I suppose there is also a chance another manufacturer could produce some of the products that are currently Follansbee exclusives, like TCS II.
Actually I always found Follansbee to be a pleasure to work with. We always knew to identify their products as long lead items. Every once in awhile we’d get a contractor who didn’t pay attention, thinking he was just buying sheet metal from Peterson and getting upset that he had to wait like everyone else.
One of my Architects tells me that Revere Copper is unable to produce Freedom Gray, since Follansbee has stopped shipping the ZT coating product. Do you know who else may be manufacturing and fabricating the zinc tin coated copper product? Or should we switch to regular zinc? The main issue seems to be color for this particular project.
Lisa, I’ve been in touch with Revere and with Follansbee but the following is mostly hearsay and conjecture.
Until Follansbee’s assets are sold and until whoever the new owner is decides whether they will work with Revere (Presuming Revere isn’t the buyer), Freedom Gray is history.
Having said that, Follansbee says that they are still making TCS II for now, for specific projects. I would use the 0.024 inch thick satin material which is pretty close to standard Freedom Gray and should weather about the same. You can still solder it. You’ll want someone to get their order in sooner rather than later.
Is this for one of my projects?
Ken,
Thanks for your help. Apparently this building owner has been using Freedom Gray for their campus standard, many years now.
I would have contacted you directly if it was a project for your firm.
Just received a call updating 4specs - Follansbee Steel - purchased by Revere Copper.