A laser blanking system for cutting a blank from a stock material, the system comprising: a laser cutting station comprising: - a laser head, - a multiple-axis gantry system comprising a longitudinal axis component and a transverse-axis component supported by and moveable along the longitudinal axis component, wherein the laser is supported by and moveable along the transverse-axis component and - a controller for operatively controlling the movement of the laser head by said longitudinal axis component and transverse-axis component, characterized in that: a plurality of first support conveyors are located on an upstream side of the laser cutting station, the plurality of first support conveyors extend along the longitudinal axis of the system and are arranged adjacent to one another along the transverse axis of the system in a substantially parallel, generally spaced apart relationship, the first support conveyors each being linearly extensible and retractable along the longitudinal axis of the system independently from one another; a plurality of second support conveyors located on a downstream side of the laser cutting station, the plurality of second support conveyors extending along the longitudinal axis of the system and being arranged adjacent to one another along the transverse axis of the system in a substantially parallel generally spaced apart relationship, the second support conveyors each being linearly extensible and retractable along the longitudinal axis of the system independently from one another; the longitudinal axis component is situated adjacent to the first and second support conveyors (12, 14, 22) and the controller operatively controlling the extension and retraction of each of the first and second support conveyors with the movement of the laser. a laser cutting station comprising: - a laser head, - a multiple-axis gantry system comprising a longitudinal axis component and a transverse-axis component supported by and moveable along the longitudinal axis component, wherein the laser is supported by and moveable along the transverse-axis component and - a controller for operatively controlling the movement of the laser head by said longitudinal axis component and transverse-axis component, - a laser head, - a multiple-axis gantry system comprising a longitudinal axis component and a transverse-axis component supported by and moveable along the longitudinal axis component, wherein the laser is supported by and moveable along the transverse-axis component and - a controller for operatively controlling the movement of the laser head by said longitudinal axis component and transverse-axis component, characterized in that: a plurality of first support conveyors are located on an upstream side of the laser cutting station, the plurality of first support conveyors extend along the longitudinal axis of the system and are arranged adjacent to one another along the transverse axis of the system in a substantially parallel, generally spaced apart relationship, the first support conveyors each being linearly extensible and retractable along the longitudinal axis of the system independently from one another; a plurality of second support conveyors located on a downstream side of the laser cutting station, the plurality of second support conveyors extending along the longitudinal axis of the system and being arranged adjacent to one another along the transverse axis of the system in a substantially parallel generally spaced apart relationship, the second support conveyors each being linearly extensible and retractable along the longitudinal axis of the system independently from one another; the longitudinal axis component is situated adjacent to the first and second support conveyors (12, 14, 22) and the controller operatively controlling the extension and retraction of each of the first and second support conveyors with the movement of the laser. a plurality of first support conveyors are located on an upstream side of the laser cutting station, the plurality of first support conveyors extend along the longitudinal axis of the system and are arranged adjacent to one another along the transverse axis of the system in a substantially parallel, generally spaced apart relationship, the first support conveyors each being linearly extensible and retractable along the longitudinal axis of the system independently from one another; a plurality of second support conveyors located on a downstream side of the laser cutting station, the plurality of second support conveyors extending along the longitudinal axis of the system and being arranged adjacent to one another along the transverse axis of the system in a substantially parallel generally spaced apart relationship, the second support conveyors each being linearly extensible and retractable along the longitudinal axis of the system independently from one another; the longitudinal axis component is situated adjacent to the first and second support conveyors (12, 14, 22) and the controller operatively controlling the extension and retraction of each of the first and second support conveyors with the movement of the laser.