Color. It's defined as a phenomenon of light. It's a visual perception that enables us to distinguish objects one from another. It's also a highly effective tool for architects to incorporate in creating signature building designs. Since Alucobond-the original aluminum composite material (ACM)-was introduced to the architectural market in 1969, we've been focused on continually developing our product line with ever-expanding colors and finishes to give architects the widest range of options to create some of the world's most visually striking modern structures. Alucobond is specified by architects as high-tech metal cladding for office buildings, hospitals, educational facilities, convention centers, airports and hotels and is utilized to create custom design elements, such as entrances, canopies, column covers and interiors, as well as corporate identity structures and signage. Architects have relied on the unique composition of this patented product-consisting of two sheets of 0.02-inch aluminum thermobonded to a plastic core in a continuous process-to create buildings with imaginative shapes that include complex curves or trapezoids. This patented product design provides extraordinary flatness and rigidity, excellent formability, light weight and outstanding weather resistance. Alucobond Plus material features a fire-retardant core-a building code requirement in many major U.S. metropolitan areas. Alucobond PE panels-the original Alucobond-are pre-finished in a wide range of coil-coated paint colors. Our stocking palette colors are kept in inventory at 3A Composites' Benton, Ky., manufacturing facility, while our contemporary palette colors may be ordered. Alucobond Plus panels-which consist of two aluminum cover sheets over a fire-resistant white core-also are available in both our stocking and contemporary coil-coated colors. Additionally, Alucobond panels are available in stocked colors featuring an anodized finish, which provides optimum protection against corrosion of the aluminum and gives the surface a functional, decorative or technically aesthetic appearance. (Anodizing is an electrochemical process that thickens and toughens the naturally occurring protective oxide on aluminum.) In addition to providing Alucobond in our stocking and contemporary palette colors, 3A Composites USA Inc., Statesville, N.C., has specialized in offering custom color services to help architects realize some of their most imaginative designs. The palette of coil-coated colors can be endless, from subtle shades to bold, bright colors. Our color-matching specialists work with PPG Industries to match architects' colors through hand samples, Pantone color references and paint manufacturers' code references. Recently, the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston turned to Alucobond custom colors for its Student Residence Hall designed by Boston-based ADD Inc., in homage to artist Gustav Klimt’s “Tree of Life” painting. Working with Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries, 3A Composites' custom color specialists provided 54 color matches used to create seven custom colors of Alucobond panels that were fabricated and installed on this 21-story building by Lymo Construction Co. Inc., Merrimack, N.H., for general contractor Suffolk Construction Co. Inc., Boston. 3A Composites offers yet another option for creating distinctive color signatures in building designs. Alucobond Spectra Colors allow architects to incorporate a unique, ever-changing color spectrum in building cladding as different wavelengths of light are reflected back to the audience. Alucobond Spectra Colors incorporate special color pigments; depending on the type of pigment and viewing angle, highlights and interesting color gradients add visual dimension to building cladding. In a recent exterior retrofit of the 15-floor, 200,000-square-foot North Bergen N.J., Housing Authority’s Paul f. Cullum Tower, architects at Lothrop Associates LLP, of White Plains, N.J., incorporated nine Alucobond colors-including eight Alucobond Spectra Colors-to represent distinct neighborhoods in the building. Originally constructed in 1972, the Cullum Tower's original blue-and-white aluminum curtain-wall system set over reinforced concrete walls had faded. Fairfield Metal LLC, Fairfield, N.J., fabricated 117,000 square feet of Alucobond, which was installed by general contractor Arco Construction Inc., West Caldwell, N.J. In addition to color, ACM finishes can play an important role in creating unique building designs. The Alucobond naturAL line features a finely textured aluminum surface, which amplifies the natural beauty and character of aluminum to enhance the design of architectural cladding. The finely textured aluminum surface scatters light for a close-up visual effect, while retaining the look and luster of smooth aluminum from afar. 3A Composites USA recently expanded its Alucobond naturAL line with four new colors-including Graphite, Stainless, Zinc and Rust-which join the Alucobond naturAL Brushed and Reflect finishes. The new Alucobond naturAL Graphite and Stainless color finishes feature a FEVE clear coat. The naturAL Zinc and Rust panels are part of the new naturAL Designer Series and feature a PVDF finish with a painted non-repeating pattern. Architects and fabricators now can incorporate the natural looks of graphite, stainless steel, zinc and rust in building cladding while maintaining the light weight of an aluminum composite panel that's also easy to clean. This article was featuring in a February 2014