Aludium today 2 en

Aludium Magazine December 2015 | Issue 02

Meet our customers in Building & Construction Cindal leads the world in aluminium research Furnace investment marks start of new future

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Index December 2015 | Issue 02

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Aludium celebrates succesful first year

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Interview with Manuel Ruano, COO

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Finance: All systems go!

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Meet our customers in Building and Construction

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Cindal leads the world in aluminium research

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Meet the Cindal Team

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Furnace investment marks start of new future for Amorebieta

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Site News - Mayor of Alicante visits Aludium - New Director of Metal Management appointed - New controller appointed for Spanish plants - Annealing furnace ships from Alicante to Castelsarrasin

Cover Slitter in Amorebieta.

Colophon Editorial staff: Elsy Aelvoet, Bob Van Cauwenberghe, Dan Smith Contributors: Arnaud de Weert, Manuel Ruano, Marcel Crince, Guillermo Rey-Ardid Latorre, Christiane Huber, Philippe Barraud, Salvador Marcilla Gomis, Alfonso Martinez Zarraga, Franck Listuzzi, Maite Etxeita Gorritxategi, Agathe Tranchand Pagazaurtundua

Your opinion counts!

Please email your suggestions or comments to: elsy.aelvoet@aludium.com

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Aludium celebrates successful first year

As 2015 comes to a close, Aludium can look back on a very successful first year with a certain degree of pride. Although we still have a long way to go, this year has been full of achievements which have established Aludium as a strong and independent business and a leading player in the European aluminium sector.

Among our key achievements are the investments we have made in our facilities.

In Amorebieta we are installing a new rotary furnace which will reduce our dependence on external sources of raw aluminium and increase the recycled content of our products. We’ve also moved an underused annealing furnace from Alicante to Castelsarrasin to meet increasing customer demand for automotive trim products.

We are continuing to innovate. Over the summer our Cindal R&D centre successfully applied for its first patent as part of an independent company. The new technology, developed by our in-house research team, will enable our customers to create products with unique patterns and textures at an affordable price. The Cindal team have also conducted a number of training events for our customers which have been very well received.

Aludium’s mills have years of experience in supplying aluminium to the building and construction sector.

During 2015 we have spoken to some of our most important customers to learn what they think about our products and our new organisation. While the ‘Voice of the Customer’ has been overwhelmingly positive, these customers have also mentioned some areas that need improvement. We’ve taken this feedback onboard and will be working to exceed their expectations in the coming year.

Our organisation is continuing to develop and mature as we establish our own leadership team. This year Marcel Crince has joined Aludium as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), while Geert van den Broeck has taken up the position of Director of Risk Management. Another key appointment has been Ulrich Schridde who joined Aludium in the role of Director of Metal Management. And in the past few weeks, Antonio Querada Gomez has joined the company as Director of Innovation and Technology. These are key appointments which will ensure that Aludium becomes even more competitive in the short term.

A key area of work has been the development of our own, independent IT platform.

Led by Marcel Crince, the Sprint team is doing a great job and are on track for implementation in the first quarter of 2016. The new system will impact every level of the business and make Aludium a truly integrated company. Information will be easier to access, making it possible for Aludium to help our customers faster and provide them with accurate data. It will also help to revolutionise our production processes so we can create the added-value aluminium products our customers demand.

But 2015 has not totally been a success. In Alicante we suffered the loss of a colleague in a tragic accident. It is a reminder to each of us that our first priority is to keep each other safe. Safety is deeply ingrained in our culture and it must remain fundamental to everything we do.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our personnel for their energy throughout 2015, and our customers for their confidence in the new management team. I would also like to wish all of you a happy festive season and a very prosperous and successful 2016.

Arnaud de Weert, CEO

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Interview with

Manuel Ruano, COO This has been very positively valued by all of our employees and social representatives (unions and works councils). On a recent visit to our factory, the Mayor of Alicante (Mr Echavarri) was very impressed with the safety systems we have implemented to prevent accidents. He mentioned that he had never seen a company like Aludium implement such good systems.

The not so good news is that the rate of less serious incidents has increased by 10 percent over this year.

This demonstrates that we still have a long way to go to achieve our goal of zero incidents. It also shows that all Aludium employees have a shared responsibility to eliminate risks and inappropriate behaviour.

It has been 11 months since Aludium was formed. How would you summarise the year so far?

Let me start with the things that are most important to Aludium: safety, health, and the environment. Our primary goal is that all employees of Aludium go home in the same condition that they arrived.

The good news is that we have managed to implement the same health, safety and environmental standards at Aludium we had built-up over the past 15 years as part of Alcoa.

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The tragic news was that one employee, Carmen Sansano, was involved in a fatal accident in October as she drove a forklift in the Alicante mill.

This accident has shown us once again that we are all responsible for safety and that we must take every possible precaution. Before starting any activity, we must stop and reflect on what we are about to do, and how we can perform that task without incurring any risk to ourselves or our colleagues.

How is employee morale at Aludium?

When we presented Aludium to our employees in the first days of January,

everyone showed their enthusiasm for the project and the future. Each employee demonstrated their commitment to the company.

Eleven months later, the leaders of Aludium have demonstrated our commitment to grow the business. And employees are continuing to show us their enthusiasm and commitment to Aludium.

In January this year you expressed doubts about the market in 2015.

How has it evolved over the course of the year?

The first quarter was very hard, largely due to a weak start in the distribution market. As the year has progressed, most markets have performed stably. At the same time, we have been gaining market share from our direct competitors.

Our results are very positive. By the end of 2015 we expect to have increased our sales volume by 12 percent compared to 2014.

Has manufacturing achieved its objectives?

Overall I am pleased with the results we are getting.

However, there are areas where we must improve performance. For example, the level of service we provided in Amorebieta from April to September was not at the standard we wanted to achieve.

Thanks to the efforts of everyone at the factory, we have seen a big improvement since October. This major shift is continuing and our level of service has improved considerably.

With regard to production, we are very satisfied with the efforts made in all areas of our operations. This is helping to control our cost of production. >

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COO news

One area that has proved more difficult has been our metal supply chain. We came from a situation where we had enormous flexibility with our main supplier of slabs.

Due to a new contract, this flexibility has been reduced significantly. To mitigate this situation, we are certifying new slab providers and will gradually integrate them into our panel of suppliers.

Everyone in Aludium knows that metal supply is key to our operations. That is why we recently decided to strengthen the team by hiring Ulrich Schridde as Director of Metal Management.

Have you completed the 2015 Investment Plan?

Absolutely. All planned investments are running on time and without delays.

The Board of Directors has approved the expansion of our smelter capacity in Amorebieta which was not in the original plan. We are introducing a new technology which is capable of melting painted or lacquered scrap.

We expect this investment will come into production by September 2016. It represents a milestone in our technological capacity and will allow

Aludium to increase the percentage of recycled metal we use. It will also enable us to become more self-sufficient in the production of slabs.

In November we also approved the installation of a new annealing furnace in Alicante. This is outside the scope of the 2015 Investment Plan, but will enable the plant to increase its rolling capacity. The new investment will be operational by the middle of 2016.

What is the outlook for 2016?

At the present time we see the market is stable, and we are projecting slight growth for next year.

for the European region. We hope that in 2016 Aludium will grow by around 8 to 10 percent.

For this to materialise, we must continue our efforts to improve operations every day, and provide excellent service to our customers.

Anything else that you would like to add?

I’d like all employees of Aludium to enjoy the days of rest during the upcoming festive season. I hope we can use this period to remember and review what we have achieved in 2015, and to gather our energy for our second year as Aludium.■

With regard to Aludium, our forecast is to outperform the two percent growth rate

New Innovation and Technology Director appointed Antonio Quereda has joined Aludium in the newly created position of Innovation and Technology Director. Antonio took up the position in mid-November and will lead the innovation activities of Aludium and our Cindal R&D centre.

As part of his role, Antonio will also take responsibility for key development projects and capital expenditure investments. This will require him to define, develop and lead the

implementation of standard practices across all Aludium sites and set our strategic direction for continuous improvement activities.

Immediately prior to joining Aludium, Antonio was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at FAMOSA, Spain’s leading toy manufacturer. He holds an Industrial Engineering degree and an MBA from the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain).

Following the completion of his MBA in 1990, Antonio joined Grupo Antolin which manufactures interior components

for the global automotive industry. He held various positions with the company including Plant Managing Director, Product Director and Industrial Director for different sectors of the business.

With 16 years experience in the automotive industry, Antonio then moved to Grupo Alcalá Industrial to take up the position of Industrial Director. He has also worked for Fibertecnic, a major provider of carbon composite parts for airframe structures. Antonio held the position of Managing Director at the Vitoria (Spain) Plant which produces components for leading airframe makers such as Airbus, Embraer, and Sikorsky. ■

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CFO news

Finance: All systems go!

Marcel Crince took up the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with Aludium at the beginning of February 2015. Almost one year later, Aludium Today talks to Marcel to find out what has been happening over 2015, and the work ahead for him and his team in the year to come.

In addition to taking responsibility for Aludium’s financial and accounting systems, Marcel also supervises the company’s information technology (IT)

Meet Marcel Crince Marcel was born and raised in Den Haag, the Netherlands. He studied economics at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam before joining the Finance organization at General Electric (GE).

After 12 years at GE, Marcel left to work for Stanley Tools, Black&Decker, and a series of private equity companies where he held various CFO positions at the EMEA and global levels. His work took him to the US, France and Belgium where he currently resides.

Marcel’s hobbies include horseback riding and playing golf. ■

organisation. This includes the Sprint project which will see legacy systems from Alcoa replaced by Aludium’s own ERP system.

New IT system: a real challenge “We have just finalised the system mapping phase of the project,” notes Marcel. “This has given us a list of changes that need to be made to the system, which will be supplied by our IT partner IFS. We’re now working on the detailed planning that will take us through the next five months to the launch of Phase 1, scheduled for April 2016.”

Phase 1 will see Aludium decouple itself from the Alcoa systems and provide the business with its own fully integrated IT system in order to meet our current and future needs. “There will be one way of working after the change,” notes Marcel.

Phase 2, which will be implemented by July 2016, will add many other features to the system. When asked about the IT and the business teams supporting the IFS project, Marcel says: “I consider myself privileged to be able to work with such great teams.”

Another key challenge for Marcel has been to assemble the right finance team for Aludium. “When we became independent, we did not inherit any ‘head office’ staff from Alcoa,” explains Marcel.

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“This has given us a unique opportunity to shape our own finance team.”

Plenty of challenges for new team That began with the employment of Geert van den Broeck as Risk Manager in December 2014, and continued in 2015 with key appointments including Marcel himself. Also joining the team was Alex Ter Sluis who took up the position of Corporate Controller in July this year, and Paul Langelaan who is the Program Lead for the Sprint project. “The new team is doing absolutely great,” says Marcel.

“Everyone is completely energised, fully engaged, and well aware of the various challenges. There is a good team spirit, and cooperation.”

One of the first tasks for the new finance team was a purchase price allocation (PPA) audit, a financial and legal requirement when a business is acquired.

“It’s a major project as you basically have to revalue every asset and liability you have acquired,” explains Marcel. “Our PPA audit has gone extremely well, and our auditors were very happy with the quality of our work.”

2015 has been a full year, but Marcel’s team is already turning their attention to the challenges ahead in the new year.

“The focus in the first six to nine months of 2016 will be the implementation of the Sprint system,” says Marcel. “We also need to continue to improve the integration of departments and teams.”

Also on the agenda are new acquisitions for Aludium notes Marcel: “We are looking at all relevant opportunities.” ■

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Building & Construction

Aludium:

one of Europe’s leading suppliers in building and construction

The properties of aluminium make it an ideal material for building and construction applications. As well as being light weight, aluminium is easy to form, corrosion resistant and recyclable at the end of life. Aluminium also allows architects and designers to achieve the fluid lines, bold colours and modern look which is a hallmark of 21st century contemporary architecture.

New product development

Aludium’s products are typically used to create roof and facade solutions, composite panels, blinds and sun protection systems, as well as structural parts for ceilings, floors and building infrastructure such as elevators and stairs.

Texturandum® uses shoot-blasted roll surfaces to imprint diffuse patterns onto aluminium coils. Both repetitive and random patterns can be applied to the metal, creating a truly unique finish for any architectural project. The aluminium can be anodised or clear-coated to ensure the finished product is both durable and aesthetically pleasing.

We offer a complete range of alloys and finishes which are suitable for both exterior and interior applications. Our optimised process technology allows Aludium to achieve an homogeneous and free-of-defects surface, together with an adequate microstructure, both key requirements for anodised applications, painting, lacquering and long-term corrosion resistance.

With many years of involvement in this sector, Aludium understands the unique challenges of the building and

construction industry. We offer fast and stable delivery times, as well as continuous and reliable quality. Our Short Lead Time concept is highly appreciated by the market as it provides our clients with ultimate flexibility and efficiency. With Aludium´s current capabilities we are able to react quickly to any unexpected supply chain disruption.

Aludium’s technical support also puts us ahead of the competition. We offer direct support to our customers through our world-leading Cindal R&D centre. Cindal can help our clients to develop new products, optimise their processes, or improve any key attribute of their products. The team is also working to develop the next generation of aluminium products and surface finishes.

Aludium is constantly expanding our product range for the construction market.

In the past year alone, our Cindal R&D centre has developed two new products which expand the decorative options available to architects and designers.

The latest development from Cindal enables Aludium to create aluminium with a tailored or customized surface to the needs of each client. Almost any pattern is possible including company logos, textured patterns or imitations of other materials. ■

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Case B&C

Building the future with aluminium Aludium produces a complete range of aluminium products for the building and construction market. Aludium Today talked to some of our leading customers from the sector to find out why they chose Aludium and what they create with our products.

3A Composites 3A Composites manufactures Alucobond®, an aluminium composite panel with a fire-retardant, mineral-filled core. The panels are used to create the facades of industrial buildings and offices. The product requires an excellent surface to get the required finish as Rudolf Messmer, Head of Material Management explains: “Some of our painted finishes have a different colour in the morning compared to the afternoon. We finish them in our own painting line, but the aluminium needs to have very good surface quality to achieve this effect.”

The company started working with Aludium’s mills in 2010. “We began by qualifying the aluminium before starting to work with the mill,” notes Rudolf. “We still check the quality of every delivery, but it is always good. Aludium offers very good products, service and quality. We have fewer claims with Aludium than other suppliers and this has continued since the change to the new company.”

Aluminium was chosen as the basis of 3A’s composite panels for a number of reasons explains Rudolf: “While surface quality is very important, we also use aluminium because it is light weight, very flexible and easy to work with.”

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The company is always looking for new and innovative surfaces to expand their product range notes Rudolf: “We’ve just received the first aluminium with a brushed surface from Aludium. We’re going through the process of qualifying that material now for our operations.”

3A’s research and development team is also working with Aludium’s Cindal R&D facility. “We’re in the early stages of developing a new product which requires a different alloy and temper,” says Rudolf.

“The process is ongoing but we are already planning to develop more new products with the help of Cindal.” ■

Established for more than 40 years, 3A Composites manufactures and markets high-quality aluminium composite panels, structural composite material, plastic sheets and lightweight foam boards. The company’s products are used in applications including architecture, visual communication, transport and industry.

www.3acomposites.com ■

Alcoa Architectural Products (AAP) Alcoa Architectural Products (AAP) has worked with Aludium’s mills for more than 20 years. It’s a relationship that has continued since Aludium was formed as General Manager Claude Schmidt explains: “When Aludium was founded we had a chance to meet with the new owners. Atlas Holdings is focussed on industry and they have a long-term vision for Aludium. In addition, Manuel Ruano (COO) and Arnaud de Weert (CEO) have years of experience in the aluminium business and understand what we need, so we decided to continue the relationship.

It’s almost a year later and we’re happy with that decision.”

AAP uses Aludium products in its composite and metal wall panel systems. The company also coats flat sheets and coils which are utilised in roofing, shutters, roof window, and guttering applications. “Aluminium is lightweight and easy to transform, unlike steel which is much heavier,” says Claude. “It is also a material that is widely available and one that people in the >

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Case B&C

Residential towers “Herriot et Suisse” Le Mans | France Nomade Architectes | Inter-Pliage

building and construction industry are very used to working with.”

Kalzip

The company has been a pioneer in coil coating since its first line started in 1962. “Our core business is still putting paint on metal,” notes Claude.

“We’re recognised for our high level of quality and service which includes small batches and good delivery performance.”

Around 80 percent of AAP’s output goes directly to the building industry.

The remainder is used by AAP’s clients in industrial, automotive, and niche or specialised markets.

The company only works with aluminium as it is light weight and easy to transform. “Architects sometimes demand a different metal, but 99.5 percent of our products utilise pure aluminium,” says Claude.

“We can use light machines to transform the aluminium and create the shapes we need. You could do this with steel, but you need much heavier machinery. The corrosion resistance of aluminium is also better over the longer term.”

The high quality of AAP’s products enables the company to offer standard guarantees on its products ranging from 10 to 20 years. On some products the guarantee is up to 40 years. “We used some of our own products when we renovated our building in 1975, and they are still in good shape after four decades of service,” notes Claude. ■

Alcoa Architectural Products (AAP) operates two manufacturing facilities in Eastman (USA) and Merxheim (France). AAP produces Reynobond®, a metal and composite panel used in facades. The company also makes Reynolux® metal wall panels, flat sheets and coils.

www.alcoa.com/aap ■

Kalzip is a global company which uses Aludium products to create standing seam roofs and facades for large and small buildings. “Kalzip is a system, not just a manufacturer,” notes Thorsten Klein, Director of Purchasing and Planning. “We develop individual solutions for individual projects, making us unique in our market.”

The company relies on aluminium as Thorsten explains: “Around 99 percent of our projects utilise aluminium thanks to its excellent technical and architectural performance in this type of application.

We only use other materials at the request of the client or architect, or where regulations demand an alternative.”

Thorsten believes that aluminium has many advantages in external building applications: “It is durable, light weight, and flexible in forming operations. Fire resistance is also a big consideration.”

Kalzip finishes their products with paint or their own patented electrolytic galvanisation process. “Our patented finish mimics the look of zinc, but there is no corrosion and it is light.”

Kalzip’s involvement starts very early in the building design process. “We work with the architect, designer, and the roof installer to ensure we meet the end customer’s requests. We also bring ideas to our clients and show them what is possible with aluminium,” says Thorsten.

The company has been working closely with Aludium’s Amorebieta mill for nearly 15 years. “At the time we wanted to develop a new and reliable partner to

supply aluminium coils due to growth in our business and Alcoa had a good reputation,” explains Thorsten. “We make roll-formed products, so we need aluminium with good mechanical properties. After the change to Aludium we noted that the people, the plant and the quality were the same as before so we decided that it should not have an impact on our business. And that has been our experience since the change.”

Thorsten ranks service and information as the two biggest considerations when choosing an aluminium supplier: “Sustainability is the biggest issue affecting the building industry at the moment. There are different product declarations, different accreditation systems such as LEED and BREEAM among others. We have to meet these standards if we are to get future business and we need help from our supply chain partners for this. We are getting the information we need from Aludium, but harmonisation of EPDs and accreditation systems and new requirements mean we might need different information tomorrow.” ■

Kalzip produces a multi-purpose, multi-component system which offers a wide range of finishes for roofs, facades and building envelopes. The system is highly adaptable and can be tailored to the aesthetic and performance criteria of each project.

www.kalzip.com ■

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Case B&C

certain products instead of painting them and this requires a very good finish.”

Alumasa Based near Badajoz on Spain’s border with Portugal, Alumasa has used Aludium’s products to manufacture sun blinds for over 14 years. “We started working with them because of their high quality products and processes,” explains Manuel López Pecero, Managing Director.

“We continued to work with Aludium as their products are far better than those of other providers in the market. We anodise

Euramax Coated Products

Alumasa blinds are designed to be made from high quality aluminium. “Aludium offer very high quality so we use it for our premium products,” notes Manuel. “This makes them lightweight, affordable and resistant to corrosion. It also allows us to get the colour shade exactly right.”

As many of Alumasa’s clients supply regions near the Atlantic sea coast, corrosion is a major consideration. “Using steel would make the blinds far too heavy and less resistant to corrosion,” says Manuel. “Aluminium also performs well in a fire.” ■

The company has a paint factory (owned

by BASF) on site. “This is an advantage as we have developed speciality paints together and can guarantee a quick turnaround for clients,” says Manuel. “We work closely with BASF to create tailormade colours. We can do this very quickly, but we also have a large supply of tints on hand which our customers can choose from.”

Alumasa produces coated aluminium coils from its state-ofthe-art facility near Badajoz (Spain).

The finished coils are used to manufacture decorative aluminium products such as blinds, ceilings, walls, roofs, furniture and appliances.

Euramax is a leading coil coater and their products are widely used in the construction industry. The company offers an extensive range of colours and finishes which enable Euramax’s clients to create unique facade, roofing and ceiling solutions. In the words of Ger Jenniskens, Purchasing and Supply Chain Director: “Euramax makes the world a more colourful place!”

when Euramax was searching for a large aluminium partner. “It’s been a long-term relationship. Alcoa was a good supplier, with quality products and delivery performance,” says Ger. “When Aludium was formed we decided that the mills had been good partners so why should we change suppliers.”

www.alumasa.com ■

Euramax is currently qualifying Aludium’s Decorandum® brushed aluminium for its applications. The company will also work with Aludium’s Cindal R&D facility during 2016 on the development of new products and processes.

www.euramax.com ■

In Europe, aluminium accounts for about 90 percent of Euramax’s output with steel making up the remainder. However, in the United States the market is split equally between the two metals. “They both have their advantages but steel is a heavier product. Whenever weight is an issue our clients normally choose aluminium.” notes Ger.

Quality is the key hallmark of Euramax’s coated products and it is something that they also demand of their suppliers explains Ger: “We rank all of our suppliers against a range of key performance indicators (KPIs) such as reject rate, delivery performance, and flexibility.

We’re pleased to see that Aludium is improving its performance compared to the level achieved before.” ■

The company’s relationship with Aludium’s mills stretches back to the mid 1990s

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Case B&C

Alucoil “Manufacturing quality products begins with first-class raw materials,” notes Teodoro Martinez, Commercial Director Worldwide. “That is the reason we rely on Aludium’s products.”

Alucoil manufactures a range of high-tech products for the building sector including larson® metal composite panels. The company has also developed larcore®, a new type of aluminium-based honeycomb panel which is produced using a continuous proprietary technology. larcore® panels offer a light weight, stiff and any extremely flat building solution.

This new generation material is ideal for applications in mass transportation vehicles such as ferries and high-speed trains.

Metalcolor Metalcolor specialises in applying high-gloss polymer paints to aluminium.

“Most coil coaters are dedicated to one metal due to the pre-treatments required, but some do mix. At Metalcolor we don’t want to pollute our painting baths so we only use aluminium,” says Richard Haffter, General Manager.

Metalcolor’s clients create many different applications with the finished aluminium.

Markets include ceiling products, roller shutters, packaging, and specialised applications. But around 60 percent of the company’s output goes to clients who make sun protection systems for buildings.

“External sunshade systems such as

Since the company was formed in 1997, Alucoil has worked with Aludium’s Amorebieta and Alicante mills. Aludium is now the primary supplier of aluminium coils for the production of larson® metal composite panels and larcore® honeycomb panels.

Alucoil also purchases coils and sheets up to 4 mm thick from Aludium which it coats with its termolac® high-quality powder paint. The paint has excellent physical properties which enables the finished aluminium to be folded and shaped to the customer’s requirements.

Venetian blinds keep out the heat, making buildings more sustainable,” notes Richard Haffter.

Unlike other coil coaters, Metalcolor has its own in-house colour mixing lab explains Richard: “We are able to produce any colour you can imagine. We also have a very low minimum order level - just 100 kilograms. This makes our product interesting to architects and designers who need small lots to provide a burst of colour in their projects.”

Most of the products Metalcolor buys from Aludium are produced at the Alicante mill.

The relationship with the mill started in the early 1990s when Metalcolor were going through a period of rapid growth notes Richard: “We needed to find new suppliers and the mill had a good reputation. At the end of the 1990s we changed our purchasing and pricing policies and linked them to the London Metal Exchange (LME).

Alcoa was one of the only partners willing to hedge with the LME so our relationship continued to grow. Today Aludium is one of our largest suppliers.”

The importance of Alicante to Metalcolor’s business was highlighted when Alcoa decided to divest its rolling assets in France and Spain. “We knew a year before

“Aludium is more than a supplier. They are a partner that guarantees the service and products needed by Alucoil to manufacture products with the highest technological value for the building and transport sectors,” says Teodoro. ■

Alucoil is a Spanish multinational which specialises in the manufacture of advanced materials for the building and transportation industries. With five factories on four continents, Alucoil sells its products into more than 60 countries worldwide.

www.alucoil.com ■

and it was a time of great uncertainty,” says Richard. “We are happy that the mills became part of Aludium and the relationship has remained the same. We have faster decisions and even more direct access, now we know who is making the decisions. Aludium seems more focussed on their customers. We rely on fast and punctual delivery and Aludium is continuing to shorten delivery times which helps our business.”

Metacolor prefers to buy cast aluminium, rather than continuous cast. “Surface quality is critical for our processes,” explains Richard.

“Direct cast aluminium offers a better surface, higher metal quality, and bending without problems.” ■

Established in 1981 near Lausanne (Switzerland), Metalcolor specialises in coil coating aluminium. The company produces pre-lacquered strips which are used in a wide range of applications including Venetian blinds, roller shutters, ceiling panels, signage, automotive parts, watch hands and dials, and packaging for pharmaceutical products.

www.metalcolor.ch ■

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Cindal

Cindal leads the world in aluminium research

Since it first opened in 1976, Aludium’s Cindal R&D centre has grown to become one of the world’s most reputable bodies in research related to aluminium processing and alloy development. Initially established to provide support to Alcan’s aluminium processing mills in Europe, Cindal’s role has grown to include the development of new products as well as training and support to our customers.

Cindal occupies a dedicated building on Aludium’s Alicante site and is staffed by a team of highly experienced engineers, scientists and technicans. As well as

laboratory facilities, Cindal has a range of equipment which enables it to develop and prototype new processes and products before they are rolled out to a production environment. “We have a small factory here,” notes Dr Salvador Marcilla Gomis, R&D Director for Aludium.

“There are pilot rolling mills as well as ovens where we can carry out heat treatments on the aluminium metal.

These facilities enable us to simulate production processes to meet the requirements of our customers.”

The centre continues to provide vital support to Aludium’s mills in Alicante, Amorebieta and Castelsarrasin as Salvador explains: “One of Cindal’s key responsibilities is to ensure that the

New tailored surfaces Cindal is currently working on the development of new finishes which are tailored to a customer’s own design.

Designed for Aludium’s automotive trim, bright, and cosmetic substrates, the availability of new patterns will make Aludium customers highly competitive in their segments.

“The new finishes could have an aesthetic or functional purpose,” notes Salvador.

“For example, we could create a pattern that helps the consumer to get a better grip on a cap or lid. Alternatively we can finish the aluminium with the logo of a company to give it a prestigious or luxury look. The possibilities are endless.”

The new process is patented and will complement Aludium’s existing bright and mill finished aluminium, as well as our textured products which are marketed under the Decorandum® and Texturandum® brand names.

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Decorandum®

Decorandum® offers a brushed appearance, while Texturandum® uses isotropic patterns to mask the rolling background. ■

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Cindal

Cindal is a global leader in aluminium research

Dr Salvador A. Marcilla Gomis was born in Alicante where he still lives today. Salvador initially studied chemical engineering at the University of Madrid where he also obtained an MBA. Salvador completed a PhD in science at the University of Alicante before joining the Spanish army where he piloted aircraft, a hobby he enjoys today. In 1975 Salvador joined Alcan to start the Cindal Research and Development centre in Alicante, a job he still holds, and loves.

Aludium remains the best aluminium supplier in the four market segments we serve: Closures and Food Packaging; Bright, Cosmetic and Automotive Trim; Building and Construction; and Industrial. It is the reason we were founded and is still an important part of our role.”

Collaborative approach leads to best solution The Cindal team is organised into teams by market segment. Each team includes experienced engineers, technicians and laboratory staff who are experts in one or more fields. “Everyone is a specialist, but we consult widely among the team,” explains Salvador. “For example, if a customer has a problem with corrosion, we will bring in our metallurgy expert and our corrosion expert to find the cause, and the best solution.”

This collaborative approach is also used when Cindal is asked to help a customer develop a new product or process. “The initial question or request always comes through Aludium’s commercial or technical support teams who brief us on what needs to be done. Cindal staff visit the customer

together with the commercial and production teams so we can gain a detailed understanding of the issue which needs to be solved,” says Salvador.

The relevant experts from Cindal then investigate the issue and report back to the customer. “A customer recently contacted us as they were having a problem with the pre-treatment of an Aludium product and the metal wasn’t behaving as expected,” says Salvador.

“We performed an audit of their processes and made a report recommending the actions the customer should take. They implemented all of our recommendations and now the pre-treatment process is working as expected.”

And the reaction from the customer?

“Cindal has a good reputation around the world. Almost every customer accepts and implements our recommendations without question.”

Forward thinking helps customers Salvador’s team also monitors developments which may affect customers in the future. For example,

Cindal is currently researching alternatives to pre-treatments used in the closures market which contain chromium.

The pre-treatments are required to ensure the success of later coating and drawing operations. However, the use of chromium in these applications will be banned in the European Union from 2017 under the REACH regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals.

“We are working proactively to ensure our customers have an alternative pre-treatment solution which offers the same properties before REACH comes into force,” notes Salvador. “As we are in close contact with the pre-treatment suppliers in the market, we have been able to assess all of the available alternatives.”

Tests were carried out in the laboratory and this work has made Cindal one of the leading reference centres in REACHcompliant pre-treatments. Two industrial trials have also taken place using the most promising alternative treatment. “While initial results have been positive, we are >

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Cindal

Training vital for effective substitution Cindal also provides training to Aludium’s workforce, a service which has been rolled out to customers. “We still do internal training for new staff and to increase the skill level of Aludium’s personnel,” says Salvador.

“But increasingly we are providing the same training for the staff of our customers. We also train their staff when they replace another material with aluminium in their processes. This is a critical time and we help them to get their processes and operations working correctly so they can maximise the value of our products.”

Training sessions are always conducted with one company at a time notes Salvador: “That allows us to focus on the segment in which customer operates and the knowledge gaps of their staff. We are completely focussed on the needs of that customer.” ■

Ignacio holds a Bachelors degree in Physical Sciences. Prior to joining Aludium he worked for the Spanish National Centre for Metallurgical Research where he made a major contribution to the development of new processes, alloys and aluminium applications. ■

Closures and Food Packaging

continuing to certify the new pretreatment with customers,” explains Salvador.

Dr Eloy Torres Miranda holds a PhD in Materials Science, and Bachelor degrees in Metallurgy (Simon Bolivar University, Venezuela) and Mechanical Engineering (Torino Polytechnic, Italy). He joined Cindal in September 2015 to focus on process metallurgy improvements and the development of new products.

Eloy is highly experienced in dimensional control and inspection, researching new and advanced materials, development of new components, welding technology and the development of aluminium and zinc alloys for high performance and decorative applications. In addition to his duties at Aludium, Eloy was acting as an Industrial Technical Consultant for the Torino Polytechnic and the University of

Meet the Cindal Team The Cindal R&D team is broadly divided into four market segments: Closures and Food Packaging; Bright, Cosmetic and Automotive Trim; Building and Construction; and Industrial.

While each team member is assigned to a segment, significant overlap occurs due to the different expertise of our highly skilled Product Leaders and Technicians.

Building and Construction

Ignacio Gil holds the position of Product Leader for the Closures and Food Packaging segments where he provides support and technical leadership. Ignacio joined Cindal in 2011 as a Senior Metallurgist specialising in casting, rolling, hard alloys and special products.

He leads technical projects relating to quality, process improvement and new product development for Aludium’s mills and customers.

Dr Segundo Sanchez is Aludium’s Product Leader for the Building and Construction market. Segundo joined Cindal in 2007 with a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering and a PhD in Materials Science. Since joining Aludium, Segundo has also gained a Masters in Business Administration.

His previous experience with aluminium composites, metallurgy and general R&D skills made Segundo the logical choice to take charge of surface treatments, finishing characterisation and corrosion evaluations for different products. Promoted to Senior Technologist in 2014 he also provides technical support for Aludium’s mill processes and customers. ■

Carlos III. ■

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Cindal

Science Segment

Bright, Cosmetics & Auto Trim

Building & Construction

Industrial

Cast & rolling metallurgy, hard alloys metallurgy, special products I. Gil Dr. E. Torres

Rolling metallurgy, commercial alloys, metallurgy, metallography bright products Dra. C. Fernández D. Bravo

Surface, surface treatment & corrosion technology Dr. S. Sanchez

Lubrication, surface, analysis & measurements technology C. Pardo Dra. L. Catalá

Laboratory G. Ruiz S. Jover

Laboratory A. Pamies J. Costa

Laboratory V. M. Lapeña

Laboratory F. Casanova

Bright, Cosmetics and Automotive Trim

Closures & Food packaging

Dr Catalina Fernandez is Product Leader for the Bright, Cosmetic and Automotive Interior market segments.

In this role, Catalina provides support and technical leadership to both Aludium and our customers.

Catalina holds a PhD in Materials Science and Bachelors degree in Mine Engineering. She joined Cindal in 1990 as metallurgist before taking charge of the development of bright products in 1994.

Since 2008, Catalina has been a Senior Metallurgist with responsibility for the metallurgical quality of Aludium’s products. She has been instrumental in leading improvements to processes and the development of new products in collaboration with Aludium’s mills, customers and suppliers. ■

David Bravo is Aludium’s Product Engineer for the Bright, Cosmetics and Automotive Interiors market segments. He holds a degree in Mining Engineering and joined Aludium in 2010 as part of a SEPI Foundation scholarship degree.

In 2012 he was promoted to the position of R&D Technician in the Metallurgical department. David also acts as a Technician within the department where he leads technical projects, process improvements and new product development for

Dr Lucia Catala Esteve joined Aludium in June 2015 as a Senior Technician in the Analysis, Surfaces and Lubricants area of Cindal. She holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering and a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering from Alicante University.

Lucia joined Aludium from the University of Alicante, where she worked as a research scientist for six years. In this position Lucia designed and optimised processes, and researched alternative energy sources. Lucia’s research led to two patents in the field of alternative energy generation. Her work has been published in a number of international journals and she has presented at several international conferences. ■

Industrial

R+D Director Dr. S.A. Marcilla

Market Segment

Carlos Pardo is Product Leader of the Industrial market segment.

Carlos holds a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering and a Masters degree in Business Management. He joined Aludium in 2006 as an R&D Technician.

Promoted to Senior Technician in 2014, Carlos was placed in charge of the Analysis, Surfaces and Lubricants Department at Cindal. In this role he leads and collaborates on technical projects, process improvements and new product development.

Aludium and our customers. ■ Carlos is Aludium’s internal auditor for our ISO/TS 16949 (Quality Management) and ISO 17025 (Competence of Testing and Calibration Libraries) compliance.

He certifies our mills in accordance with established regulations. ■

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Furnace Amorebieta

Furnace investment marks start of new future for Amorebieta Type and availability of aluminium scrap Clean scrap is any waste aluminium which has not been treated with organic material such as oil or paint.

It is basically pure aluminium metal.

Aludium sources clean scrap from: • Internal or ‘runaround’ scrap which is generated during rolling and finishing processes in all three Aludium mills.

• Scrap suppliers and customers.

Dirty scrap is any waste aluminium which has been oiled, painted or treated in another way.

Clean scrap is expensive as it is in high demand. By contrast, the volume of available dirty scrap is around ten times higher, making it much cheaper. ■

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Aludium is about to embark on its first investment which will improve the capacity of our Amorebieta cast house. Installation of a new rotary furnace will enable Aludium to melt painted and treated aluminium for the first time. This investment is being made to reduce Aludium’s dependence on external aluminium supplies, increase our in-house melting capacity and reduce costs.

The decision to invest in the new furnace was made by the Aludium Board in July 2015. The furnace will be supplied by INSERTEC, a global producer and installer of industrial furnaces and refractory products which is headquarted in Spain’s Basque Country. The new rotary furnace scheduled to come on-stream in the last quarter of 2016.

“This decision represents the first investment in Amorebieta’s growth for years. It is just the first in a series of investments that we have planned,” notes Manuel Ruano, Chief Operating Officer of Aludium. “It is further proof of the belief we have in the future of Aludium as an independent player in the aluminium world.”

New facility will increase capacity The Amorebieta cast house has been working at maximum capacity for a number of years. To meet demand,

additional slabs were purchased from third party vendors. “By incorporating the new furnace we will be able to increase internal production, replacing primary aluminium with melted scrap,” says Alfonso Martinez Zarraga, Amorebieta Plant Operations Manager.

“Historically we have sourced about 60 percent of our metal from third party suppliers of slabs,” explains Alfonso. “The remaining 40 percent is produced by melting ‘clean’ or ‘runaround’ scrap (see box) in our existing melting furnace in the Amorebieta cast house.”

The new rotary furnace will work in parallel with the melting furnace. “The capacity of the existing furnace is 48 tonnes, however, our casting pit can accommodate up to 56 tonnes of molten aluminium,” says Alfonso.

“That means we are under-using the pit by around 5 to 7 tonnes per batch. By running the two furnaces in parallel we will be able >

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to fill the pit every time, increasing the molten metal content of each batch by around 15%.”

Fume treatment facility reduces emissions The investment in Amorebieta will see the installation of a new rotary furnace in the cast house and associated works to integrate it into the mill’s process flow. “The new furnace will be able to melt all kinds of aluminium scrap including ‘dirty’ scrap,” notes Alfonso.

Dirty scrap is often coated with paint, lacquer and other organic coatings.

This organic matter is burnt off in the high heat of the rotary furnace. “A key part of the works includes the installation of a new fume-treatment plant which will remove any remaining contaminating particles in the fumes” says Alfonso. “This plant will ensure that our emissions-to-air meet the latest environmental limits set by European Union regulations.”

Recycling aluminium requires only 5 percent of the energy required to produce primary aluminium as Alfonso explains. “By moving part of our production from primary smelting to recycling scrap in-house, Aludium is reducing our process emissions. This will have a very positive impact on the environment.” In the first year Aludium plans to process about 20,000 tonnes of dirty scrap in the new rotary furnace.

“Aludium can also close the recycling loop with our customers,” notes Alfonso. “Until now we have been able to process clean scrap from customers, but the rotary furnace will also allow us to take their treated metal. This will enable Aludium to be a complete solution provider for our customers and to become even more competitive.”

The investments in Amorebieta are a strong sign of Aludium’s intention to make strategic investments which increase capacity and the level of service we provide to our customers.

It’s another step forward in Aludium’s plan to be Europe’s leading supplier of quality aluminium. ■

Aludium exhibits at Automotive Interiors Earlier this year, Aludium presented its products at an international tradeshow for the very first time. The venue was Automotive Interiors 2015, held in Stuttgart (Germany). The show demonstrated a very high level of innovation in materials and finishes, with many exhibitors presenting products which allow carmakers to create low-cost, high-tech, and refined automotive interiors.

The show is a must for Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers to the automotive market and for the interior design teams of leading international car manufacturers. It provides a unique opportunity for these companies to view the latest developments in the rapidly changing world of materials, finishes and technologies.

Aludium presented our selection of Decorandum® products which are specifically designed for use in automotive interiors. “The response was very encouraging in terms of both the quantity and quality of visitors to our stand,” notes Catalina Fernandez, Product Leader for Bright, Cosmetic and Automotive Interiors.

“We met with several OEMs who were not yet customers of Aludium, and reestablished contact with several others.”

Aludium demonstrating its range of automotive interior solutions during Automotive Interiors 2015

In addition to Catalina Fernandez, several top-level Aludium personnel were on hand to speak with customers. They included: Dr Salvador A. Marcilla, R&D Director; Christiane Huber, Sales Director Specialties; and Michael Brandner, International Account Manager. Aludium’s CEO, Arnaud de Weert and COO Manuel Ruano also visited the booth during the show.

Automotive Interiors is an annual event and Aludium will be present again at the 2016 event in Stuttgart. You can visit our stand from 31 May to 2 June 2016. ■

Aludium’s first patent Aludium has registered its first patent as an independent business thanks to a breakthrough new process developed by our Cindal R&D team.

Working under the direction of Dr Salvador A. Marcilla, Dr Segundo Sanchez and Ignacio Gil have developed a unique process to produce tailor-made surface patterns on aluminium.

An almost unlimited range of aesthetic finishes are possible with the new technique. Leather, carbon fibre and a range of other finishes can be replicated onto aluminium coils and sheets. When combined with a transparent coating, the finished aluminium can be used to decorate almost any application.

Until now this technique was only possible using an expensive and very labour intensive production process. Aludium’s new technique is budget friendly and makes this type of finish available to less exclusive applications.

“Our customers can take the finished aluminium directly from the mill to the plastic extrusion process,” notes Dr Salvador A. Marcilla.

The technology can be applied to almost every alloy produced by Aludium. “We see the main markets being in bright applications,” explains Salvador. “It is a perfect fit with alloys such as 5505, 5657, 8014, and 1085A.” Pilot coupons have already been produced and shown to some of Aludium’s key customers. “They are very enthusiastic about this technology,” notes Salvador.

Cindal is continuing to develop new products and process. While this patent may be Aludium’s first, it is certain that more will follow quickly. ■ Today

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Site news

Alicante

Mayor of Alicante visits Aludium to show support

On 24 July the mayor of Alicante, Gabriel Echávarri, paid a visit to Aludium’s mill in Alicante. It was the first time an Alicante mayor had visited the plant in over a decade.

Mayor Echávarri was greeted by Aludium’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Manuel Ruano. Together they toured the plant, meeting operators and providing the mayor and his team with an overview of the facilities and manufacturing processes.

During a media conference at the end of the tour, the mayor remarked on the importance of Aludium to the Alicante economy: “This plant provides direct employment for 340 people, with another 100 employed indirectly. That represents around €20 million in wages coming into the city every year.”

Mayor Echávarri offered Manuel Ruano and the Aludium team any support that the local government could provide. “It is a historic industry in our city and an example of the type of industry we want to attract to Alicante when our new urban plan is completed,” noted Mayor Echávarri. “It has great importance, not just for Alicante, but also for the province, the community, and around the world.”

The mayor also noted Aludium’s commitment to its employees: “Aludium invests in its people and understands that this is vital to ensure the future of the business. The company also collaborates in the education and training of our young people thanks to agreements they have with different universities in the area. This is extremely valuable to our community.” ■

New Director of

Metal Management appointed Ulrich Schridde joined Aludium on 1 October 2015 as Director of Metal Management. He is highly experienced with more than 30 years of involvement in the aluminium industry and over 20 years in metal management, planning, procurement and sales of primary aluminium and aluminium products.

Ulrich has taken responsibility for developing Aludium’s capacity as part of his new role. He will also optimise

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Aludium’s metal management systems and related costs in order to minimise our working capital costs.

In 1981, Ulrich began his career in the aluminium sector at Alcan Deutschland where he held both marketing and sales positions. Later he was given responsibility for metal management, a task he also performed for Novelis. In 2010 Ulrich joined Rusal Marketing where he was Director of European Sales. In this

role he was responsible for leading and developing Rusal’s export sales in Europe.

With over 30 years of experience in the industry and over 20 years in metal management, planning, procurement and sales of primary aluminum and aluminum products, Ulrich will develop Aludium’s capacity to achieve its strategic objective of becoming a fully independent company. ■

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Site news

New controller appointed for Spanish mills

Castelsarrasin

Jon Belausteguigoitia has been appointed to the position of Spain Controller for Aludium’s Alicante and Amorebieta plants.

Jon was previously the Controller of our Alicante plant. In the new role he will

report directly to Alex Ter Sluis, Aludium Controller, and indirectly to the Plant Directors of each mill (Alberto Ruiz in Alicante and Pedro Escudero in Amorebieta).

facilities. It will enable our Spanish plants to make informed decisions in a volatile environment.

Born in Amorebieta, Jon earned a degree in Administration and Business Management and an MBA from the University of the Basque Country.■

In his new role Jon will be responsible for accounting, financial planning and analysis, and local finance and taxes. Aludium’s Spanish operations will benefit from Jon’s experience which includes periods at all three Aludium

Annealing furnace ships from Alicante to Castelsarrasin

During an audit of Aludium’s facilities, our Alicante mill noted that an annealing furnace was being underutilised. Rather than sell the furnace, Aludium decided to relocate it to our Castelsarrasin mill over the summer. Once installation works are complete, the furnace is expected to be on-stream by January 2016.

This strategic decision to increase Castelsarrasin’s furnace capacity will enable Aludium to meet customer demand for high quality automotive trim

products. Aludium’s goal is to develop this market by targeting additional international customers.

In late August, Manual Ruano, COO, visited Castelsarrasin to inspect the transported furnace as well as works carried out by the site’s Maintenance and Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) teams. Undertaken during the summer shutdown, these works have improved Aludium’s EHS performance at the mill and created better working conditions for our employees.

Manual Ruano also did an initial assessment of the action plan which was formulated by the Castelsarrasin task force in July. The temporary team is dedicated to supporting and accelerating operational improvements at the mill using best practices and by sharing professional experience. ■

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Amorebieta

Alicante

Castelsarrasin

Cindal R & D

ACR II Aluminium Group cooperatief U.A. Prof J.H. Bavincklaan 2-4 1183 AT Amstelveen The Netherlands +31 20 7237 218 www.aludium.com

Aludium Amorebieta Barrio Ibarguren s/n E-48340 Amorebieta, Vizcaya Spain +34 944 887 500

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Aludium Alicante Avda. de Elche, 109 E-03008 Alicante Spain +34 965 989 500

Aludium Castelsarrasin 294 chemin de Lavalette 82100 Castelsarrasin France + 33 5 63 32 80 00

Cindal R & D Avda. de Elche, 109 E-03008 Alicante Spain +34 679 518 645

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