Following significant investment, leading cladding and architectural fabrications manufacturer Sotech can now provide specifiers who desire the design potential of aluminium composite material (ACM) but require the reassurance of using a tried and tested rainscreen system with the ideal solution.

The acquisition of two new CNC flat bed routers now enables Sotech to facilitate the bulk production of ACM panels, ensuring even greater accuracy and the option of larger, flatter modules. Used in conjunction with Sotech’s popular Optima rainscreen systems, ACM panels offer exceptional aesthetic value and provide a cost-effective alternative to powder-coated aluminium.

By investing in the new state of the art machinery, Sotech is ideally positioned to meet the market’s increasing demand for ACM cladding which, thanks to the material’s design flexibility, has seen its popularity soar. Ideally suited to achieving striking optically flat panel facades, ACM can also be fabricated to create curves and thanks to its lightweight yet high strength properties, is proving to be a perfect partner to Sotech’s Optima TFC and FC rainscreen systems.

The effective combination of ACM panels and Sotech’s innovative Optima rainscreen system was most recently showcased on Sheffield’s Digital Campus project. To create the bold façade design of Building 2.0, the architect specified the use of Sotech’s Optima FC system featuring large flat panels constructed from Reynobond ACM. Boasting a modern anodic silver finish designed to replicate a stainless steel appearance and measuring up to 5.5m in length, the large flat panels have been used to create a striking ‘wrap around’ cladding effect that provides seamless integration between the different elevations. Sotech also designed and manufactured PPC feature flashings to complete the look.