While IBC Section 1406 has only been around since 2000, the use of MCM in North America dates back to the late 1970’s. The first aluminum composite material (ACM) was created in Europe in 1969. In 1979, the first ACM was produced in Benton, Kentucky. In the early 1980s, several global companies produced ACM and shipped it to North America for architectural projects. By the 1990s, three companies were manufacturing ACM in North America. Eventually, some manufacturers used alternative skin materials such as copper, zinc, stainless steel, and even titanium. This skin material change broadened the product name to metal composite material or MCM. Today, the number of manufacturers continues to grow worldwide, and the amount of variation in product offering and quality continues to expand.
One of the other significant variables seen in the industry over the years is the production process used to make the MCM. The typical method is to extrude or place a core material between two continuous skins of metal with a bonding technology to keep the components together, run the assembly through a series of heated rolls under considerable pressure, and end with the manufactured sheets cut to length. Continuous sheet production in a controlled factory environment has proven to be the most common practice to ensure the highest quality for MCM products.