Metal coil processing 101

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn about the basics of metal coil processing and its influence on roofing from expert Chad Rowe.  

In a recent Lunch and Learn, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with MetalForming Business Development Director Chad Rowe to talk about how metal coils are used and processed in the metal industry. Overall, in the metal industry, you will find steel, aluminum, copper and zinc as the most common materials. Many people purchase these in smaller forms for standing seam applications, but they are also available in what’s called coil form. Chad explained, “Typically a master coil is going to come in an approximately 48-inch width with a capacity or a weight of about 10,000 lbs.” 

While these larger amounts of material are harder to work with and require specialized coil processing machines to get usable sheets, it comes with many advantages. First and foremost is the financial benefits. Chad shared, “By taking advantage of that purchase of bulk raw materials and then processing them into whatever your specific needs are, you are essentially paying yourself for doing the process (rather than outsourcing).” So why is coil processing not the standard in the industry? The technology for smaller-scale coil processing is relatively new! Chad explained, “It was always thought that the coil processing component could only be done by some of these major manufacturers, and for a while that was really the case simply because of the price point that that equipment was at.” The price point of this was upwards of $100,000 for years! 

That all shifted in the late 1990s when MetalForming partnered with Schlebach to make the first slit-to-width and cut-to-length machine for smaller applications. Coming in at just under $30,000 was game changing. Chad shared a bit about what opening the door for contractors to do their own coil processing meant, saying, “This really gives the contractor more control over their inventory. It unlocks on-demand, if you can coil process you're able to make one piece of material, one piece of trim, whatever your needs are. So it gives that contractor more flexibility.” 

Read the transcript, Listen to the conversation or Watch the webinar to learn more about coil processing today. Once you’ve finished, you can test your knowledge by taking the fun, interactive quiz!