The SHAPES
Hub-and-Spoke Initiative
Learn how the SHAPES Unlimited, Inc. hub-and-spoke network combines aluminum fabrication, regional distribution, advanced automation and strategic partnerships to improve capacity, quality and delivery.
THE HUB-AND-SPOKE MODEL
A Scalable Aluminum Fabrication and Distribution Network
SHAPES Unlimited, Inc. is developing a hub-and-spoke network designed to expand access to aluminum building products, advanced fabrication capabilities and responsive regional distribution.
The initiative connects SHAPES’ primary manufacturing and distribution hub in North Jackson, Ohio, with strategically located regional facilities operated in collaboration with select Master Supply Agreement partners. This structure is intended to bring inventory, production support and technical resources closer to the customers and markets they serve.
By combining centralized expertise with regional capabilities, SHAPES can support consistent product quality, improved delivery performance and scalable growth across the building products industry.
The Shapes Difference
30+ Years in Business
Trusted aluminum products distributor since 1996
Stocking Distributor
Over 30,000 SKUs in stock, ready to ship
Just-In-Time Delivery
Reliable lead times keep your jobs on schedule
Limited-Lifetime Warranty
Every product backed for lasting confidence
The North Jackson Manufacturing and Distribution Hub
SHAPES’ 80,000 + square-foot North Jackson facility serves as the central hub of the network. It is where manufacturing standards, equipment configurations, product programming, training methods and operational best practices are developed and refined.
- High-speed laser cutting and precision aluminum fabrication
- Automated and robotic fence panel assembly
- Aluminum extrusion and component processing
- Cantilevered inventory-racking systems
- Specialized material-handling equipment
- Fence panel and gate assembly
- Customized stocking and fulfillment programs
- Quality-control and continuous-improvement processes
Centralizing these capabilities allows SHAPES’ to establish repeatable operating standards that can be deployed across future regional locations.
REGIONAL EXPANSION
Regional Spokes Built Around Customer Demand
Regional spokes are designed to extend SHAPES’ manufacturing, inventory and distribution capabilities into targeted markets. Locations may function as satellite stock points, regional distribution centers or combined distribution and light-manufacturing facilities, depending on customer demand and regional requirements.
Each spoke can be configured using standardized facility layouts, equipment packages, inventory controls and operating procedures developed at the North Jackson hub. This repeatable approach helps reduce startup complexity while maintaining consistent expectations for safety, quality, service and productivity.
Regional inventory positions can also shorten transportation distances, improve product availability and support more responsive jobsite and customer-facility deliveries.
OPERATIONAL CONSISTENCY
Standardized Equipment, Programming and Training
A common equipment and technology platform is central to the SHAPES’ hub-and-spoke model. Standardizing fabrication equipment, automation, programming and operating procedures helps reduce process variability across the network.
Equipment can be configured for SHAPES’ product specifications and SKU requirements before deployment, supporting faster implementation and more consistent production. Shared training programs provide operators with instruction in areas such as CNC machining, robotic automation, equipment programming, materials testing and quality control.
This coordinated equipment ecosystem also supports preventive maintenance, technical service, workforce development and continuous improvement across participating facilities.
A Partnership-Based Distribution Model
The SHAPES’ hub-and-spoke initiative is built around strategic relationships with regional distributors, fabricators, suppliers, dealers and installers.
Through Master Supply Agreements and customized stocking programs, qualified partners can work with SHAPES’ to establish demand plans, reserved inventory levels, fulfillment requirements and regional growth priorities. The model preserves established distribution channels while providing participating partners with access to SHAPES’ manufacturing knowledge, supply relationships and operational resources.
The network is designed to support:
- Regional aluminum building product distribution
- Customer-specific inventory and stocking programs
- Just-in-time material delivery
- Proprietary and program-specific aluminum components
- Freight and supply-chain optimization
- Consistent product and fabrication standards
- Facility planning and warehouse-layout support
- Lean Six Sigma and operational-improvement services
LOOKING AHEAD
Supporting the Building Products Industry
For 30 + years, SHAPES Unlimited, Inc. has served the window, door, fencing and railing industries with aluminum extrusions, fabricated components and ready-to-install products.
The hub-and-spoke initiative builds on that experience by creating a scalable foundation for regional aluminum fabrication and distribution. As the network develops, SHAPES’ will continue working with qualified partners to improve product availability, expand manufacturing capacity and deliver dependable aluminum building product solutions closer to the point of need.
Regional Presence
Expanding Our Regional Reach
SHAPES Unlimited, Inc. currently serves customers throughout the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest from our North Jackson, Ohio, manufacturing and distribution hub. Our hub-and-spoke expansion strategy is focused on strengthening coverage in these core markets while extending our aluminum fabrication and regional distribution network into the western United States.
Potential growth regions include the Southeast, Southwest, Mountain West and West Coast. Regional opportunities will be evaluated based on customer demand, transportation efficiency, qualified operating partners and access to key building-products markets.
As the network develops, strategically located hubs and spokes will help position inventory closer to customers, reduce freight distances and support faster, more reliable delivery of aluminum fencing, railing, window, door and other building-product components.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Program basics
What is the Container-Direct Program?
Qualified distributors and dealers can purchase full container loads shipped directly to their facility. You skip the middle stop and capture the freight and handling savings. SHAPES manages sourcing, quality control, and logistics coordination from order to delivery.
Who qualifies for container-direct pricing?
Established SHAPES distributor and dealer partners with the volume to move a full container. Your Regional Sales Manager can review your annual usage and confirm eligibility.
Why buy a container instead of ordering from the warehouse?
Three reasons: lower per-unit cost, dedicated inventory, and predictable supply. Container-direct pricing typically runs 10–20% below standard warehouse pricing, depending on product mix and volume.
Can I mix products in one container?
Yes, within limits. Fence panels, posts, gates, and accessories from the same product family combine well. Mixing PrimeAlux slat systems with ornamental fence is possible but affects load efficiency. Your RSM will build a load plan that maximizes cube and weight.
Is there a minimum order?
Yes — one full container. We do not offer partial or shared containers through this program. If your volume falls short, warehouse orders remain the better fit.
Container Sizes and Capacity
Should I order a 20' or 40' container?
Most fence and railing customers order 40′ containers. Aluminum extrusions are long and light, so loads “cube out” (fill the space) before they reach weight limits. A 20′ container makes sense for dense, short products like fittings, brackets, and hardware.
What are the working dimensions?
| Container | Interior Length | Interior Width | Interior Height | Typical Payload* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20' Standard | 19' 4" | 7' 8" | 7' 10" | 36,000–39,000 lbs |
| 40' Standard | 39' 6" | 7' 8" | 7' 10" | 40,000–44,000 lbs |
| 40' High Cube | 39' 6" | 7' 8" | 8' 10" | 40,000–44,000 lbs |
*U.S. road weight limits usually govern before the container’s rated capacity. Overweight loads require tri-axle chassis and special permits, which add cost.
How much fence fits in a 40' container?
A typical 40′ high cube holds roughly 800–1,100 residential fence panels with matching posts, depending on style, height, and packaging. Your RSM will provide an exact load plan with your quote.
Do long extrusions fit?
Yes. A 40′ container accepts bundle lengths up to 39′ with proper dunnage. Standard fence panels (6′ sections) and posts (8’–10′) load with room to spare.
Ports and Routing
Which ports serve Ohio and the Midwest?
Most Midwest-bound containers route through East Coast ports, then move inland by rail:
- Norfolk, VA — deep-water access, strong rail connections to Columbus and Cleveland
- New York/New Jersey — highest sailing frequency, direct rail to Ohio
- Baltimore, MD — closest East Coast port by highway to northeast Ohio
- Savannah, GA — competitive rates, good rail service to the Midwest
- Cleveland, OH — seasonal Great Lakes service via the St. Lawrence Seaway
Which port will my container use?
Routing depends on your delivery address, carrier schedules, and cost. West Coast customers typically route through Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, or Tacoma. SHAPES logistics selects the routing that balances transit time and cost for your location.
What is an inland rail ramp?
What is an inland rail ramp? An intermodal terminal where containers transfer from rail to truck for final delivery. Major Midwest ramps include Cleveland, Columbus, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. Final drayage (trucking) from the ramp to your door is included in your delivered quote.
Delivery, Docking, and Unloading
What kind of dock do I need?
A standard dock-high door (48″–52″ from grade) works best. Containers sit on a chassis roughly 56″–62″ above grade, so most facilities use dock levelers or ramps to bridge the gap. No dock? Ground-level delivery is available — plan for forklift unloading from the rear doors.
What equipment do I need to unload?
- Forklift rated 5,000 lbs minimum
- Fork extensions (72″ recommended) for long bundles
- 2–3 people for banding removal and staging
Containers open from the rear only. Long bundles pull straight out, so keep 45’+ of clear staging space behind the container.
How is the product packaged inside?
Bundled and floor-loaded with dunnage, not palletized. Floor loading maximizes container capacity but takes longer to unload than palletized freight. Plan accordingly.
How long do I have to unload?
Standard “live unload” allows 2 hours of free time. After that, drivers bill detention, typically $75–$125 per hour. Most experienced crews unload a floor-loaded 40′ container in 2–4 hours.
Can the driver drop the container and pick it up later?
Yes. A “drop and pick” leaves the container at your facility for 24–48 hours. It costs more than a live unload but removes the time pressure. Request it when you schedule delivery.
Do I need special site access?
The truck and chassis together run about 70′ long. Confirm your site can handle turning radius, overhead clearance of 13′ 6″+, and firm, level ground for a drop.
Lead Times and Scheduling
How long from order to delivery?
Plan on 10–14 weeks total:
- Production: 4–6 weeks
- Ocean transit: 4–5 weeks (East Coast routing)
- Inland rail and drayage: 1–2 weeks
- Customs clearance: 2–5 days (built into the timeline)
Can delays happen?
Yes. Port congestion, weather, and customs exams can add 1–2 weeks. Order ahead of your selling season and keep warehouse stock as a buffer.
How do I schedule the delivery appointment?
SHAPES logistics contacts you when the container clears the port. You confirm a delivery window with the drayage carrier at least 48 hours out.
Ordering, Payment, and Customs
How do I place a container order?
Contact your Regional Sales Manager with your product mix and quantities. You receive a load plan, delivered price, and production schedule for approval before anything ships.
What are the payment terms?
Container orders typically require a deposit at order confirmation with the balance due before release at port. Established partners may qualify for extended terms. Your RSM will confirm your program.
Who handles customs, duties, and tariffs?
SHAPES coordinates customs clearance through a licensed broker. Duty and tariff treatment for aluminum products changes with trade policy, so confirm the current landed-cost breakdown with your quote. Your delivered price will state exactly what is included.
Can I track my container?
Yes. You receive the container number and booking details at sailing, plus milestone updates at departure, arrival, customs release, and delivery scheduling.
What if product arrives damaged?
Note damage on the delivery receipt before the driver leaves, photograph it, and contact SHAPES within 48 hours. Concealed damage claims require notice within 5 business days of delivery.
Explore a Regional Partnership
Interested in becoming a regional distribution, supply or Master Supply Agreement partner? Contact SHAPES Unlimited, Inc. to discuss your market, product requirements and regional growth opportunities.