Abstract: A system for the production of extruded aluminum or aluminum alloy profiles starting with billets has an extrusion press having a horizontally directed outlet and to which is fed preheated billets press such that the billets exit the outlet of press as a horizontally extending profile that is fed horizontal to a horizontal bench where, while still horizontal, the provides are cooled, straightened, and cut into profile sections. A conditioning chamber for profile ageing heat treatment downstream of the bench as well as a device for coating the profile sections. A device upstream of the conditioning chamber picks the profile sections up off the bench and shifts them from the horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. An overhead conveyor extends from the picking-up device through the conditioning chamber and coating device for conveying the profile sections therethrough while in the vertical orientation.

Abstract: Rack (100) for stacking metal sections (105), comprising a plurality of mutually facing frames (110), each frame comprising at least one upright (115a, 115b) and a plurality of cross-pieces (120) extending from the at least one upright to define support surfaces for the sections, at least one further frame (205) associated with each frame, each further frame comprising at least one further upright (210a, 210b) and a plurality of further cross-pieces (215) extending from the at least one further upright and being movable between a rest position in which each further cross-piece is disposed at the same height as a corresponding cross-piece and a working position in which each further cross-piece is disposed at a different height to define further support surfaces for the sections, and means (225a, 225b) for securing the further frames in the rest position or in the working position.