A Zahner

A Zahner is a, what I would call, high end construction and architecture firm in Kansas City. Their work is mainly in facades, and very large, and very high crafted. I like the fact all of their workers are in the local sheet metals union and well-paid.

Their market is modern architecture needs such as assisting in design and engineering of extensions, additions, whole buildings, and art-style facade treatments.

Their materials are generally aluminum, however they also do a lot in copper and other various metals. However, they have custom engineered treatments to aluminum and copper to give many different looks and feels to the metals creating a much larger array of designs than previously thought.

Their forming technologies are cut-and-build technique involving many hours of manual welding and riveting.

They do a lot of CNC router cutting, they even have custom machines that can give a computer generated surface design such which use dimples, holes, valleys etc. They also have the normal array of sheering devices known to most metal shops.

Their main joining technology is welding however hey also do use riveting and mechanical joints.

They have a very large and expanding array of finishing technologies, they chemically treat the metals in multiple steps and ways that give custom finishes to both aluminum and copper.

I thought that A Zahner was a very cool trip visually as what they build is so big and their craftsmanship is bar none. I also thought it was cool that they constantly test new treatments to metals and come up with new finishes.