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WIRE USES:
Architectural and Artistic
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1 feature 2 wire worlds This feature presents positive news, an element that has been in short supply of late. It starts with a defined demanding wire application purpose: architectural wire, and then shifts a world away, to the use of wire for artistic purposes. The contrast, like the work, is quite striking.
Can wire provide an artistic architectural flair? Bank on it Founded by Charles Banker in 1896, C.I. Banker Wire & Iron Works endured harsh times that saw the metal fabricator revitalized in the mid-1970s to a manufacturer of woven wire cloth for industrial and architectural applications. Today, it is a leader in those fields. Below, Harrison Horan, vice president of sales and marketing, discusses his company’s unique province. WJI: What makes Banker Wire unique?
Harrison Horan
Horan: Banker Wire is unique for many reasons. We manufacture woven and welded wire mesh, from an enormous variety of raw materials, for both architectural and industrial applications. Our products are specified across all sectors: commercial environments, multifamily buildings, private residential projects and more. Beyond the authentic, sturdy material properties of our wire mesh, we offer a wide range of patterns and metal finishes that provides unparalleled design possibilities. We were established in 1896, and practicing our craft consistently for over 120 years has allowed us to refine our processes to ensure we’re the most efficient and effective we can be. As such, we have the ability to efficiently produce the largest range of specifications than any other wire mesh manufacturer. We offer a “mesh your way,” job-shop process that caters to the customer’s specific requirements; we’ll pretty much weave whatever you want us to, which is something that I think really differentiates Banker Wire from other manufacturers. As our customer’s manufacturing partner, we will meet the demands of their wire mesh needs. For this reason, we’ve become well versed in manufacturing with precision and efficiency. WJI: Not all wire is equal: what makes an ideal wire mesh? Horan: If it can be manufactured into a wire, Banker Wire can weave it (or weld it, assuming the alloy can be resistance welded). Our most common alloy is simple mild steel wire as the versatility and cost of this raw material makes a very popular project choice. That said, we are at the ready to produce woven or welded wire mesh specifications from a wide range of wire inventory, such as stainless steel products, aluminums, high carbons and copper-based alloys.
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WJI: What is a typical timeline for a given project? Horan: A variety of manufacturing cells within our woven and welded departments can digest orders of all types as they come through. Large and small, wide and narrow, dense or open, our process engineer distributes the jobs to the work centers that best suit these variables, and are in keeping with the customer’s desired shipping date. We aim to maintain no more than a two-week lead time. Production schedules usually vary from one to two weeks, once we have confirmed the job. Our industrial wire mesh is pretty black-and-white when the customer knows what they want. However, an architectural wire mesh manufacturing timeline can actually take up to three, four or five years. For example, we’re working on a new inquiry that we won’t start physically manufacturing until 2026. For a fast-tracked architectural mesh job, it is likely to take nine months to complete. The nature of architectural wire mesh is that it is driven by a different creative process, equally guided by both function and aesthetic. Also, there are often many more parties involved in the design and approval process of architectural wire mesh applications. When wire mesh—an industrial product—was first discovered by the design community as a material with aesthetic potential in contemporary design schemes, many manufacturers rushed to strap the word “architectural” to their name. However, not all were able to keep up with the true demands of what the architect needs, which include having a plethora of samples shipped to multiple locations and having one-on-one guidance. Banker Wire always has, and always will, cater to both the industrial specifier and the architectural specifier. WJI: Do you supply finished wire in a size/shape that fits into a specific place?
Banker Wire’s M22-22 mid-fill woven wire mesh pattern used at HOB Mall, a luxury shopping destination in Abu Dhabi. absolute standards for manufacturing, and then there are custom standards. In addition to manufacturing wire mesh to size, we have supporting equipment within our fabrication department that adds value to our customers who don’t necessarily want to receive the material in its raw form. We’re here to set the customer up for success, allowing them to be as efficient as possible in handling the material once it’s delivered to them. As such, our fabrication department has the means of cutting, forming and welding the wire mesh once it comes out of the loom if needed. WJI: What was your most technically challenging project, and what made it that?
Horan: The customer really drives our process. We can cater to whatever they want us to do, whether it’s creating a circle, square or a diamond. In our industry, there are
Horan: Each project has its unique challenges, restraints and creative opportunities, but The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s 75,000-sq-ft Hamel Music Center does come to mind as a recent example of part-
During the weaving process, fill (cross) wires are placed between the warp (long) wires by skilled weavers.
An assortment of decorative-plated antique brass wire mesh patterns.
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