Blog posts of '2017' 'January'

We are taking our bending team to San Antonio, Texas to exhibit at the NASCC (North American Steel Construction Conference) this March. We want to see you there! We are offering you a FREE Exhibit Hall Pass. If you are interested in obtaining a pass, please call our office at (503) 692-6010. We would be happy to help, on one condition.... Come Visit Us at Booth #8130! The bending world, and life, is 360 degrees - now technology is too. We will be offering a drawing for a new Samsung Galaxy S7 Smart Phone and GearVR (virtual reality) googles. Visit our BOOTH #8130 and see for yourself how awesome this new technology is. One lucky winner will win a new phone and the virtual reality googles! Don't miss out on this opportunity. Sign up today! Don't miss out on this opportunity. Sign up today!

The Jan Shrem and Maria Maneeti Museum of Art at UC Davis opened in late November of 2016. Albina Co., Inc. was fortunate enough to be the designated AISC Bender/Roller on this project. Albina bent 38 lengths of tube steel 14" X 10" X .500" WALL A500 GR B and 3 lengths of tube steel 14" X 10" X .375" WALL A500 GR B for the complex project. All of the material bent the Easy Way, Hard Way and also compound bent the easy way AND hard way in the same length. The Fabricator on the project was Olsen & Co. Steel. SO-IL and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson designed a 50,000 square-foot permeable roof that covers both the site and the building. The canopy is composed of 910 triangular, honed aluminum infill beams. assembled in an intricate pattern, the structure seeks to evoke the patchwork texture and topology of the surrounding landscape. The canopy arcs as high as 34 feet on the freeway side, and dips as low as 12 feet at its front. The Museum is currently nominated for an AISC 2017 IDEAS2 Award. [caption id="attachment_1091" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] 50,000 Square Foot Permeable Roof[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1092" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Curved Steel Entry [/caption] [caption id="attachment_1093" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Overview of Curved Roof Structure[/caption]

The Buyers Guide is published annually by the National Ornamental & Miscellaneous Metals Association (NOMMA). They Buyers Guide is now available in print and online on the NOMMA website. Albina's ad can be see opposite the inside back cover. In the ad, we feature one of the most difficult spiral stringer projects we have ever undertaken in the last 78 years. We recently spiral bent 20" X 18" rectangular tube steel down to a 7'7" plan view radius and 20" x 12" rectangular tube steel down to a 13'9" plan view radius for the Lakeside Campus in Richardson, Texas. Our induction heat source and increment bending method produces extremely tight spiral bends which all met AESS standards. Check out the most recent NOMMA Buyers Guide or see the pictures below to see the bends for yourself. [caption id="attachment_907" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Steel Spiral Stringers Installed[/caption] [caption id="attachment_909" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Steel Spiral Stringers for Heavy Weight Bearing Spiral Staircase[/caption]

As we near Inauguration Day, lets take a look at Trump's Infrastructure plan and how it will affect the steel and manufacturing industries in particular. A few of Trump's infrastructure plans as obtained from (https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies/an-americas-infrastructure-first-plan)

• Create thousands of new jobs in construction, steel manufacturing, and other sectors to build the transportation, water, telecommunications and energy infrastructure.
• Put American steel made by American workers into the backbone of America’s infrastructure.
• Implement a  plan for a cost-effective system of roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, railroads, ports and waterways, and pipelines.
• Approve private sector energy infrastructure projects—including pipelines and coal export facilities—to better connect American coal and shale energy production with markets and consumers.
• Incorporate new technologies and innovations into our national transportation system such as state-of-the-art pipelines, advancements in maritime commerce, and the next generation of vehicles.
• Make clean water a high priority. Develop a long-term water infrastructure plan with city, state and federal leaders to upgrade aging water systems and wastewater infrastructure.

If Trump is able to follow through with some of his plans and promises, the steel industry could play a key role in rebuilding America's infrastructure.

It seems that during this time of uncertainty in the US Economy, we are returning the 2008 trend where consumers make purchasing decisions based solely on price. If you chose the lowest price, you are opening yourself up to many more "costs" that are not necessarily represented in the quoted price. It might seem like a risk to purchase from a supplier that isn't the "lowest price." The rewards are greater than the risk. What is important to you? Do you want to receive the correct parts the first time? On-time delivery? Communication throughout your project? Proper documentation? Billing Procedures? The price of a competitor might be below ours, but when you add up all of the actual costs to receive and install the material, is there really a cost savings? If you chose the lowest price, you may deal with late delivery, poor quality or incorrect parts and a lack of or delayed communication. If you choose the lowest price, you will get what you pay for.

The AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction) has introduced an exceptional resource for architects, general contractors, building owners, structural engineers, code officials, and for anyone who wants to know Why Steel is the better choice for building! Log on to AISC.org and click on your respective position to learn of the benefits of specifying steel. The benefits of using steel as your primary building material are vast, and there are even more benefits to specifying curved steel on your next project! You can check out our "Why Curved Steel" page to gather more information.

Albina recently completed bending 16" OD X .625" WALL A500 GR B material for a new bridge at the San Diego Zoo.  A total of 24 lens x 48 feet weighing 118,350 pounds were required for this job.  Albina used a combination of induction bending and cold increment bending to complete this project to meet AESS standards. Radii on the projected ranged from a 20 foot center-line-radius to a 350 foot center-line-radius. We are not a stranger to bending bridges for California Zoos! See below for a few examples of curved steel bridges and custom signage that we completed for the Happy Hallow Zoo in San Jose.