Royalton Architectural
Fabrication

Serving OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, MICHIGAN & INDIANA

THE PANEL MAKERS

It takes long-term experience to achieve long-term good looks

Royalton Architectural Fabrication, Inc., is a premier manufacturer of architectural panels and column covers located in North Royalton, OH. Steve and Valerie Winkler head the 18-year-old company. It serves an area in a 500-mile radius of its headquarters and fabrication shop, covering the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Michigan. This not only meets Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) requirements for buying locally, it also lets the company perform its own deliveries, allowing it control of scheduling and assuring on-time performance. This attention also lets Royalton Architectural Fabrication control the quality and integrity of the delivered panels.
Steve Winkler, a chemical engineer, emigrated from Europe to Detroit, where he learned to make architectural panels. Personal reasons brought him to Cleveland, where he founded RAF.
Royalton Architectural Fabrication deals exclusively in top quality material, including Alucobond, Reynobond and Alpolic. This quality is matched by RAF’s own fabrication skills, based on almost two decades of experience. Architects, Steve says, know these materials perform, so they spec these products in designs where panels can be used externally, on interior walls or even as partitions.
“But,” he adds, “the panels don’t jump into panel shapes by themselves. It’s like cabinetry; you are building a beautiful house, and you want to have the best cherry wood cabinets in your kitchen. You search and buy the best cherry wood available on the market. Do you care who makes this cherry wood into cabinets or do you just hire someone who says he is a cabinetmaker? The architect should ask the same question when he/she specs the best material. Who is the panel maker?”
Steve goes on to say, “Most architectural panel fabricators get their material from the same sources, so the difference is the craftsmanship that goes into the fabrication. Stiffeners and corner reinforcements are used in all panels fabricated by RAF. Because of this, you will not see oil canning on the panels. We fabricate 100% of our panels in our plant so no additional fabrication is required at the jobsite. If panels need to be held out for field measurements, we will accommodate. We will never compromise quality for price. We have found that the cheapest panel system, quoted by our competition, does not equate to the cheapest price.
If adjustments must be made in the field, taking up time and material, or they don’t arrive on time, the cheaper panel wasn’t the cheapest.”
Royalton Architectural Fabrication prides itself on working with a wide range of customers and being responsive to their needs. It understands the construction business, and can communicate key information needed when bidding a project. “More and more companies think that all they need to do is buy a CNC machine to get into the panel manufacturing business,” Steve says. “They think, ‘That looks easy.’ But you have to start small, learn to grow and find the right employees.”
Royalton Architectural Fabrication, with its 18-years of panel fabrication has perfected the art of panel making. It is not the biggest, but it concentrates on quality and providing customers with the best possible panel and on time delivery. Some larger companies require that all panels be delivered at one time, and they can take up to 20 weeks to deliver. RAF’s average lead-time is two to four weeks from time of field measurements. “We make panels per our customer releases,” Steve points out.
Every panel is 100% fabricated, and ready for installation, with zero field fabrication needed. This ultimately keeps cost down and schedules met, and it is the result of RAF’s determination never to sacrifice quality for price.
RAF does not make false promises to customers. “Our customers are our friends,” says Steve. “We support and help them, so they can make a profit, and the buildings look great.” His competitors, he says, are actually his best source of new business. When they fail in their promises, their clients begin to look for “companies that make a great panel and deliver as promised. Says Steve, “It is important to deal with someone reputable. We do a quality job, and people stick with us.” As for installers, RAF works with highly recommended ones, who have proven their ability and have a good credit history, important to maintaining professional relationships.
As a member of Builders Exchange in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Harrisburg, RAF is able to find jobs that its customers may want to bid. It is also able to download drawings to do take-offs and quotes.

How to find the best panel fabricator
When looking for a panel fabricator, ask these 10 important questions.
1. How long has this company been making panels, and does it have a good reputation as a panel maker?
2. Can the fabricator show you any buildings with its panels installed? How do the panels look on completed buildings after a length of time?
3. Are the panels fabricated with stiffeners and corner reinforcements?
4. How long do they take to ship after given field dimensions?
5. How are the panels shipped? Are they skidded, and are you given a precise shipping date and time?
6. Are panels shipped by elevation, and what is the minimum amount of panels that can ship at one time?
7. Are the panels 100% fabricated when they arrive at the jobsite?
8. Do they meet the LEED requirement for buying locally?
9. Does the company offer you good customer service?
10. Does it buy the best materials?
With Royalton Architectural Fabrication’s 18 years of panel making expertise and excellent track record for on-time deliveries and customer service, it will offer both quality and service on your next project. For additional information, please reference its website at www.rafpanels.com. ■