LAYERS OF OPPORTUNITY
Fabricator Combines Materials for High-Impact

Polyfab Plastics & Supply, an ISO 9001:2000 company, offers a wide range of highly diversified products to meet their customers’ needs and has the ability to customize to meet a variety of specifications.

Polyfab, a full line distributor, offers a wide range of fabrication services including: CNC routing and sawing, thermoforming, welding, hot air, extrusion, sonic and butt fusion and an extensive graphics department.

In the early 1970s Polyfab Plastics & Supply, Inc. opened their doors in Springfield, Missouri by the company’s current General Manager, Lowell Miller. At that time, the company occupied a small leased-space and employed a small group of part-time college students.

Over the years Polyfab has seen a tremendous amount of growth as their customer base and product capabilities have continually grown and evolved. To accommodate their consistent growth, Polyfab began using automated equipment and moved into their current headquarters of 60,000 square feet and 5 acres which evolved since 1988.

One area that Polyfab has seen considerable growth in over the past fifteen years is the signage market. From amusement park signage to depth markers for their tank division, Polyfab has developed an array of fabrication and decorating techniques to provide their clients with custom signage to meet their growing needs.

“Some of our customers’ designs start on a napkin,” said Mike Miller of Polyfab, “others come as CAD drawings, solid models or somewhere in between.”

After a project is converted to a CAD program it is turned over to Polyfab’s graphics department where typically a model is created and submitted for review by the customer on larger jobs. Upon approval the signs are routed, decorated and shipped with all the installation hardware, and posts if necessary, for a turn key installation.

“Our success in the signage industry is due in large part to King ColorCore® sheets with multi-colored layers. It is easy to fabricate and has a consistent cap thickness. We use many other materials, including solid King ColorBoard®, polymer lettering and full-color printed materials under clear acrylic protective covers,” said Miller.

“King ColorCore is a superior homogeneous sheet, made with a unique state-of-the-art continuous process called PolyFusion®.” said King Plastic Corporation sales manager Lou Stegner. “It is manufactured to the highest standards providing one of the most consistent cap thicknesses and flattest sheets in the industry,” said Stegner.

Stegner continued, “The sheets are easy to engrave and machine, as the cap is approximately ten percent of nominal thickness for high production speeds. Base materials are FDA approved as are most pigments. King ColorCore is made with high-impact-resistant polymer to handle more abuse than conventional sign materials.”

Several standard color combinations are offered in 48” x 96” sheet with standard thicknesses of 1/4”, 1/2” and 3/4”. Custom sizes, colors, thicknesses and textures are also available. Fabricators can work with King ColorCore using standard woodworking tools. Carbide router bits with 2-4 flutes are recommended. With a 1/2” diameter router bit, feed rates of 12-16 feet per minute are normal. Rates must be slower for material that is 1/2” thick or thicker. Larger bits have higher tip speeds and rpm adjustments may be necessary. Cuts are made with a circular saw at 1275 rpm using a 50-70-tooth carbine blade. Expect a similar feed rate. Edges may be finished with a router and, if desired, a fine sandpaper. Use standard fasteners with oversized holes. Drill pilot holes first, followed by the oversized hole to allow for expansion and contraction. Make plugs with a wood plug cutter for a finished look.

When using printed images, it is best to use a long-lasting material and printing process. Attach an adhesive-friendly substrate with screws, then attach the printed material with adhesive, covering the holes. Use a clear polymer cover for a finished look and extra protection.

For maximum versatility, standard colors are made to coordinate with King ColorBoard®, a high density polyethylene sheet that is environmentally stabilized for outdoor use. Its bright, primary colors make it ideal for sign, industrial, marine, playground and recreational applications.

Polyfab creates signs for amusement parks, water parks, golf courses and a wide range of municipal parks. Their wide range of fabrication services also enables them to supply thermoformed polycarbonate bubbles and other components for playground equipment.

“We have also seen a dramatic increase in interest in outdoor living,” said Miller. “King is able to supply us with standard and custom colors when we need them and all their material is here when they say it will be,” said Miller.

Polyfab also has a thriving tank division that is producing complete and sometimes complex tank systems. They can design and fabricate an entire system including pumps, filters, rectifiers for plating chemicals, the super structure, lighting, electrical, hoist systems for raising and lowering parts into/out of the tank, and liners for containment in the event of a leak or damage to the tank.

After 38 years, Polyfab Plastics continues to be successful as they continue to grow and evolve. Polyfab creates products for a vast number of needs in a variety of industries including: playground, marine, food processing, electronic, aircraft and surface finishing industries. Their products are distributed throughout the United States and internationally.

Founded in 1968, King Plastic Corporation is a leading manufacturer of quality polymer sheets, slabs and massive shapes including several products pioneered by the company. Its polymers are sold worldwide through a network of leading plastics distributors to customers who fabricate products for the marine industry (King StarBoard® brand), signage, food service, neutron shielding, construction, industrial and other applications.