As British architect, Ian Ritchie, once said: “Light is the opium of the architect and shadow its form.” With light used by architects to define a building’s contours and shadow to emphasise its depth, the love affair between light, shade and exterior surface effects looks only set to grow.

Reflective, absorption, decorative and other special surfaces are continually being developed to meet specifier demands and this places an ever-increasing pressure on metal wall panel manufacturers to offer new functionality and surface characteristics to their customers.

So, how can metal fabricators ensure that they are one step ahead when it comes to meeting demand for the latest metal surface effects?

Expanding architect and specifier choice
One way to provide a wide portfolio of options to architects and other specifiers is to make the most of the range of products offered by specialist metal surface producers. But what are the key things to look for when choosing a specialist metal surface producer?

• Breadth of product portfolio – does the producer offer finishes and tonal colourways that will excite your clients?
• Long lasting quality – what warranties does the producer offer on their finishes and colourways?
• Consistency across batches – is the producer able to offer consistent colourways on different batches of anodised aluminium and do the surfaces communicate quality in look and feel?
• Sustainable and safety credentials – what metrics is the producer able to provide to back up their sustainability and fire-retardancy claims?

Metal surfaces that stand out from the crowd
At Alanod we work hard to lead the way when it comes to aluminium surface finishing, to achieve different levels of reflection and end effects. Our product portfolio doesn’t just produce high quality functional and decorative surface coatings on metal coils, but we are set apart as a metal surfaces innovator by the sheer variety of finishes and colourways offered.