Our History

Over forty years ago a quiet little company in Magnolia, Arkansas, began manufacturing the world's finest picnic tables and benches using high-strength aluminum extrusions. Founder Charles Taylor had been an innovative leader in the aluminum industry for years.

His vision began with the Southern Piknik® tables and bench line by utilizing stadium bleacher extrusions he innovated years earlier. In 1981, Southern Aluminum revolutionized the folding table industry by introducing the Alulite® lightweight folding banquet table. The lightweight table had the strength incorporated similar to stadium seating, and at the time, was the first and only true lightweight table offered in any market. Today, the tables are still up to 35% lighter than any conventional table.

As one of many of Southern Aluminum's innovative products, Alulite® set the folding/banquet table industry 'on its ear'. Subsequently, other companies began introducing "lightweight" tables using alternative materials (plastic, thin plywood, etc.), but none to date are as strong, lightweight, and durable as Southern Aluminum's line of folding aluminum tables. Thanks to aluminum's incredible high strength-to-weight ratio, it is possible to design multipurpose tables and furniture with exceptional stability, lightweight, and durable characteristics. Another game changing product category was created by utilizing the same lightweight/high strength aluminum qualities for upscale tables. Our iDesign Table targets conventional heavy tables and equipment used in hotel meeting spaces, conference center meeting rooms, and universities.

We can't take credit for all of our recent product offerings. It is people like you, our customer and partner, that we listen to because you are the experts that know what you want or need in your professions. We take it from there by designing prototypes, continuous refinements, and finally, a new product that is a real solution! That's how we came up with the extremely striking Swirl Tables® that will change any room from boring to dazzling.

Because of Mr. Taylor's business acumen and integrity, which is forever ingrained in our company culture, Southern Aluminum continues today being the first to introduce innovative and market changing designs; and the instilled and inherent desire to always "walk-the-walk" in giving exceptional customer service.

Charles Taylor

Mr Charles Taylor
Founder

Mark Taylor

Mr Mark Taylor
President/CEO

Southern Aluminum History Timeline

Our Vision

"To elevate our Team Members, Customers, Community, Suppliers, and Shareholders to their very best life."

Our Core Values

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Put People First

With empathy and humility, serving others is at the heart of our business.

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Act with Integrity

We're honest, transparent, and committed to doing what's best in pursuance of excellence.

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Innovate with Purpose

We embrace change, and we design for future growth in every aspect of the business we do.

Our Culture

At Southern Aluminum, we are continuously evolving. We find ways to better partner with customers, take care of our employees, and innovate in ways to grow our business while we serve each other. What began as a picnic table company has grown into a reputable leader providing quality products to a vast variety of markets. It's because of our people and our character that Southern Aluminum is a household name in the industry and why we will continue to be the leader we are today!

Sustainability

Southern Aluminum has been constructing durable aluminum tables and staging that adhere to our stringent guidelines of product innovation, consumer efficiency, and green initiatives for forty years. We are proud to be good stewards of the environment, taking care to be environmentally conscious from the beginning to the end of our manufacturing process. Aluminum is one of the most recycled materials on the planet. By incorporating this green material in all of our product designs, Southern Aluminum naturally offers one of the most sustainable product lines available. The aluminum in our products contains at least 75% recycled aluminum. Higher recycled content available upon specific customer request. Southern Aluminum products are fully recyclable. Southern Aluminum implements several sustainable practices throughout our production facility to divert waste away from landfills and improve recycling of aluminum, scrap metal, cardboard, and plastic. The conservation of scrap materials is continually studied in the daily production process of all Southern Aluminum products. Fall-off metal from assembly is collected and recycled at a recovery facility. A powder coating system is used to optimize re-use of water and also minimize steam off-gas.

Environmental Stewardship

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Mindclick

Since 2015, Southern Aluminum has participated in the Supplier Sustainability Assessment Program (MSAP-FF&E) administered by MindClick. MSAP is an annual review of vendors' Fair Labor and Human Rights practices, Environmentally Responsible Manufacturing efforts, and Product Sustainability. Companies are evaluated on certain criteria (raw materials, chemicals, production, packaging, distribution, guest health, hotel operations, and product end of life) and can score as a Sustainability Starter, Achiever, or Leader. With the completion of calculating our environmental energy, waste, and water footprints, Southern Aluminum achieved the highest level score as 'Sustainability Leader'.

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California Technical Bulletin 133

Cal 133 is a fire code standard that tests products for emission of toxic fumes, gases, or smoke from fire at high temperatures. Southern Aluminum products have been tested and were found to exceed the stringent criteria set for Cal 133. All tests were performed by a certified and independent laboratory.

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Bloom Award

Southern Aluminum is honored to have won the Bloom Award for Occasional Furniture with the XCube Table. The Bloom Awards are sponsored by Interiors & Sources magazine and ASID (American Society of Interior Designers). They honor products that embody both aesthetics and environmental responsibility.

Evergreen Award

Evergreen Award

Southern Aluminum is the proud recipient of the U.S. General Services Administration Evergreen Award for the furniture category. This achievement is awarded annually to one company that makes a concentrated effort to lighten the footprint modern society places on the environment. This award has encouraged and inspired Southern Aluminum to continue partnering with Mother Nature to preserve a healthy environment for generations to come.

RECYCLING ALUMINUM

Aluminum recycling is the process by which scrap aluminum can be reused in products after its initial production. Recycling scrap aluminum requires only 5% of the energy used to make new aluminum. For this reason, approximately 31% of all aluminum produced in the United States comes from recycled scrap.

  • Recycling does not damage the metal's structure; aluminum can be recycled indefinitely and still be used to manufacture any product for which new aluminum could have been used.
  • Four pounds of raw bauxite ore is saved for every pound of aluminum that is reclaimed in the recycling process.
  • Aluminum is valuable. It's still very much in demand, and recycled aluminum is just as useful and desirable as new. In fact, aluminum is the only recyclable material that depots can recoup their recycling costs with.

See our Proposition 65 Statement

Features and Benefits

Made In the USA
Made in the USA

We are proud to say that our aluminum furniture is made in the United States of America and shipped all over the world. We use American made aluminum, hardware, powder-coat painting and packaging. Our products are proudly crafted in Magnolia, Arkansas, USA!

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Quick ROI

The expenses of table linens, associated labor and laundry costs are an enormous burden to a facility's operating budget. Use our ROI Calculator tool to illustrate the reduction in operational expenses by utilizing Southern Aluminum's linenless banquet and meeting tables. The elimination of linen maintenance, replacement, laundry expenses, and staff labor costs result in substantial savings and return on investment (ROI) in a short time frame.

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Warranty

Southern Aluminum's expertise in design and manufacturing has always set the highest standards in our markets. We want you to be confident in our time-tested and functionally proven products. We guarantee our products to be free from manufacturing defects for as long as you own them. This includes the functional and mechanical performance of each product as used in the conventional purposes of application.

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Sustainable
  • Recycling aluminum saves ninety-five (95%) percent of the energy it would take to produce new metal from bauxite ore.
  • Seventy (70%) percent of all aluminum produced since the year 1886 is still in use today.
  • Every ton of recycled aluminum saves four (4) tons of the raw bauxite required to produce "new" aluminum.
  • Southern Aluminum products have 70% recycled material, and are 100% recyclable after their long lives.
  • Southern Aluminum encourages and practices recycling of aluminum, scrap metal, and cardboard.

Who We Are

Southern Aluminum is the leading producer of forward-thinking, stylish lightweight furniture solutions. Since 1978, our talented and highly skilled teams have delivered a unique line of exceptionally crafted linenless furniture to industries ranging from hospitality and education to government, healthcare and more. Recognized for product strength, superior durability, advanced functionality, and contemporary design aesthetics our unwavering commitment to the highest quality, sustainability and attention to detail is reflected in everything we do. Magnolia, Arkansas is the home of our manufacturing facility, and has been for over 40 years, where every product produced carries the heart, energy, and passion of the dedicated people behind our brand.

Leadership

Charles Taylor Allison Schultz
CEO/President

Click to read bio
Mark Taylor Dave Merwitz
COO

Click to read bio
Charles Taylor Shelby Blair
CFO

Click to read bio
Mark Taylor John Menghini
EVP of Sales

Click to read bio
Andrew Moffett Andrew Moffett
Chief Brand Officer

Click to read bio

Find Us

Address: 5 HWY 82 WEST, Magnolia, AR 71753

News & Highlights

Southern Aluminum welcomes Andrew Moffett

A peek behind the curtain on the people who help to power the brand of Southern Aluminum.

What is in the “secret sauce” at Southern Aluminum? Well, it includes passionate people! One of those passionate people is Jennifer Edwards, and this is her story.

Read More Posted 03/08/2021
Southern Aluminum welcomes Andrew Moffett

Southern Aluminum names former Marriott International Global Discipline Leader as first Chief Brand Officer

Southern Aluminum is pleased to announce Andrew Moffett has recently joined the company in a newly-created Chief Brand Officer position.

Read More Posted 08/25/2020
Southern Aluminum welcomes Kevin Diedrick

Southern Aluminum welcomes Kevin Diedrick as Director of Design and Innovation.

Diedrick brings with him more than 15 years of design and new product development experience. He has worked in the hospitality and residential markets. In his role previous to joining Southern Aluminum, Diedrick was the Director of Design for Brown Jordan, an iconic outdoor luxury furniture brand that works extensively with Marriott and other leading hotel brands.

Read More Posted 08/05/2020
Southern Aluminum now hiring

Southern Aluminum is seeking candidates for Regional Sales Directors in New York, Chicago, San Francisco & Atlanta

This hospitality position requires a strategic thinker who understand their markets, customers, competitors, and products to effectively position Southern Aluminum and to grow market share within hotels and resorts in the defined territory

Read More Posted 10/10/2019
Key Executives

Southern Aluminum Adds Key Executives to Accelerate Rapid Growth

Southern Aluminum announced that it has appointed two new executives in response to the company's continued growth. Dave Merwitz joins as Chief Operating Officer and John Menghini will serve as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Read More Posted 08/30/2019
800.221.0408

The Linenless Table Company
Southern Aluminum® 2022

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800.221.0408

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