Exterior Cladding for Industrial Settings – Things to Consider

For industrial buildings often subjected to harsh environmental conditions, exterior cladding provides an essential protective shield. The cladding materials chosen must strike a balance between robust functionality, durability, and appearance, as well as meet industry requirements such as fire safety compliance. Using ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 for external cladding in Australian industrial settings is a very wise, high ROI choice.

Key Points

Industrial premises and buildings in Australia face unique challenges from operational demands, chemical exposure, sun and UV exposure, and extreme weather.

Exterior cladding provides a layer of protection against harsh conditions, and the right product will deliver in terms of durability, functionality, visual aesthetics, and fire safety.

Mitsubishi ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 is a versatile, world-class deemed-to-satisfy (DtS) non-combustible aluminium cladding material designed for use on Australian buildings, including industrial facilities.

Industrial facilities require cladding systems that can withstand:

Extreme fluctuations in temperature
High levels of moisture and humidity
UV radiation
Exposure to pollutants and chemicals
Physical impact/abrasion

The wisest choice of cladding product will also serve to:

Look appealing
Extend the lifespan of the facility
Improve energy efficiency
Improve fire safety performance
Reduce maintenance costs
May help reduce building insurance premiums

Choosing the right cladding system for your facility is critical.

Table of Contents

Cladding Material Options

Metal is the most common material used for industrial cladding, including steel, zinc, and aluminium composite panels.

Steel cladding is available at a moderate price point and offers high strength and durability. It is corrosion (rust) resistant if galvanised or powder-coated.
Zinc cladding, which eventually develops a protective patina, is exceptionally corrosion-resistant.
Aluminium composite panels are strong, lightweight, versatile, easy to install, and excellent in terms of corrosion-resistance.
Other industrial cladding options include fibre cement panels (made from a mix of sand, cement, and cellulose fibres), concrete panels, and other composite materials.

Choosing Cladding: Top Considerations

Safety and Regulatory Compliance

Australian facilities must, by law, meet the specific building codes and safety compliance benchmarks set by the NCC, and this extends to cladding. These include requirements for fire resistance/non-combustibility, wind load resistance (based on location), VOC emissions standards, environmental impact, and energy efficiency.

Cost Versus Value

Cost considerations must account for both initial and lifecycle costs, including not just the materials themselves but also installation, maintenance, and replacement costs. These incorporate initial costs (materials, structural modifications if required, and labour); energy efficiency gains and reduced power bills; the need (or not) for cleaning, inspection, repairs, etc; and the projected lifespan – is the cladding system expected to last for 10 years, 20 years, or 50 years?

Premium commercial-grade DtS non-combustible aluminium cladding is a cost-effective option that offers the best overall performance for the majority of industrial applications.

Installation

Installation speed and ease are very important. The building framework must also be able to support the weight of the chosen cladding, allow for thermal movement (expansion and contraction) to ensure separation, cracking, and buckling don’t occur, enable rainwater management, and use appropriate, corrosion-resistant fastening systems.

Maintenance

The last thing facility owners and managers need to be concerned with is the maintenance of their cladding system. Mineral core aluminium composite cladding, for example, requires little to no maintenance over its lifespan. Unlike fibre cement, for example, it does not require regular cleaning or repainting.

Industrial Cladding Panels: Your Superior Choice

Designed and engineered specifically for Australian conditions, Mitsubishi ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 is a superior DtS non-combustible aluminium cladding product. It is ideal for industrial facilities and is exclusively available in Australia at Network Architectural.

This premium product is made from thin aluminium sheets that sandwich a non-combustible mineral fibre core. It is thin, lightweight, fast and easy to install, and aesthetically versatile. As an environmentally conscious choice, it is engineered to last for decades and is 100% recyclable at the end of its life cycle. It comes with a twenty-year full replacement warranty and has no maintenance clauses for cleaning to maintain the warranty.

It is also compliant with Australia’s building code and is successfully tested to Euroclass A1 13501-1 (the world’s strictest fire-rating test). This means that the panels will not ignite or contribute to the spread of fire if exposed to extreme heat or flames.

Whether for industrial facility new builds, renovations, or cladding remediation projects (for existing buildings with non-compliant combustible cladding), you can’t go past ALPOLIC™ NC/A1.