Our profiles are made in sunny Fitzgerald, Georgia — but they travel the world, into every kind of climate. Color, material, and additives all shape how well an extrusion stands up to the summer sun.
As the mercury starts to rise here in Fitzgerald, Georgia, our thoughts turn to an important consideration for our plastic profile extrusions — not because the profiles stay under the Georgia sun, but because they embark on a journey worldwide, potentially exposed to the scorching heat of diverse climates and the intensity of various summer suns.
We provide high-quality plastic profile extrusions to a variety of sectors — from construction and automotive to consumer goods — and our products find their way across the globe, serving a multitude of applications and industries.
Despite those geographical differences, the intense heat of summer can challenge these materials. Certain plastics, such as PVC, polyethylene (PE), and polystyrene (PS), can absorb a significant amount of heat. That can lead to deformation, discoloration, and a shortened product lifespan, especially when the sun's rays are at their most intense.
Color plays a major role in how much sunlight — and therefore heat — a material absorbs or reflects. Darker colors absorb more sunlight, leading to higher heat absorption. Lighter colors, like white or beige, reflect more sunlight and keep the material cooler.
It's the same principle that has us reaching for lighter clothing in summer. Opting for lighter colors can significantly reduce the risk of heat damage, helping your products stand up to the summer sun wherever in the world they end up.
A lighter color reflects more sun — the same reason we wear light clothing in a Georgia summer.
Color is critical, but it isn't the only lever. The choice of material makes a big difference too — plastics like polypropylene (PP), PET, and polycarbonate (PC) are inherently more heat-resistant, making them excellent choices for applications exposed to intense sun.
We also offer UV-resistant additives and coatings. These can be incorporated during the extrusion process or applied to the finished product, enhancing the material's resistance to prolonged sunlight exposure and reducing the risk of heat damage even further.
No matter where your profiles end up, it's worth considering their potential exposure to sun and heat. By making informed decisions about color selection, material choice, and UV-resistant additives, we can keep your extrusions resilient and effective under the intense summer sun. We're always glad to help you make those choices — because, after all, it's not just us who appreciate a little shade in the summer.