Aludium Magazine May 2016| Issue 03
Aludium Transportation Centre: Dedicated to lightweight mobility solutions Texturandum速: New technology for tailorable and exclusive patterns Increasing capacity: Investments support long-term growth strategy
Index May 2016 | Issue 03
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Welcome
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Sustainable growth plan brings rewards
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Hedging: Life insurance for Aludium
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Ready, set – SPRINT!
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Making a difference, one customer at a time
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Texturandum®: Tailor-made patterns for decorative applications
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Decorandum®: Premium aluminium for premium applications
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Aludium Transportation centre to focus on mobility
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Improvements across the business to increase Aludium’s capacity
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Site News - Aludium News Roundup - Aludium France welcomes April QBR in Castelsarrasin - TPM in Aludium - Amorebieta hosts customer visits
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14 Colophon Editorial staff: Elsy Aelvoet, Bob Van Cauwenberghe, Dan Smith Contributors: Arnaud de Weert, Manuel Ruano, Marcel Crince, Guillermo Rey-Ardid Latorre, Salvador Marcilla Gomis, Alfonso Martinez Zarraga, Maite Etxeita Gorritxategi, Agathe Tranchand Pagazaurtundua, Geert Van den Broeck, Segundo Sanchez Martinez, Antonio Quereda, Joseba Reboredo
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Your opinion counts! Please email your suggestions or comments to: elsy.aelvoet@aludium.com
Aludium’s SPRINT to independence
Aludium can look back on a successful first year and be very proud of our accomplishments. But we still have a final hurdle to clear before we achieve our goal of becoming a truly standalone business. That hurdle is SPRINT – the implementation of our own integrated business processes supported by a new IT platform.
Led by our CFO, Marcel Crince, SPRINT began back in February 2015 and is scheduled to go live in the second quarter of this year. The new business processes and systems affect every part of Aludium’s operations. They will allow us to better manage our processes and provide faster and more accurate information to our customers. We have over 100 people working to ensure that SPRINT goes live as scheduled and without major issues. Among our key achievements during 2015 were the investments in our facilities. At Amorebieta we are installing a new rotary furnace which will reduce our dependence on primary aluminium and increase the recycled content of our products. We have also moved an under-utilised annealing furnace from Alicante to Castelsarrasin to meet increasing customer demand there. Our Cindal R&D centre successfully applied for its first patent under the Aludium brand. The new technology, called Texturandum®, was developed by our in-house research team. It will enable our customers to create products with unique patterns and textures at an affordable price. The Cindal team also continue to conduct customer training events which are very well received. During 2015 Aludium participated in our first exhibition as an independent business. Our presence at Automotive Interiors has helped us to connect with new customers and reconnect with others. We have already booked a larger space for Automotive Interiors 2016. Aludium’s mills have years of experience supplying aluminium to the building and construction sector. In 2015 we took time to speak with some of our most important customers and to ask them what they think of our products and the new organisation. While the response was overwhelmingly positive, customers also mentioned areas where we could improve. We have taken those suggestions onboard and are working on improvements while maintaining our focus on cost, quality, and delivery performance. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Aludium’s personnel for their drive and energy, and to our customers for their support. Their combined efforts have given Aludium a strong start, and the energy to continue our journey and become a leader in our segments.
Arnaud de Weert, CEO
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COO News
Sustainable growth plan brings rewards As COO, Manuel Ruano has overseen the transformation of Aludium into a standalone business during its first year of operations. Aludium Today spoke with him to find out about the highlights of 2015, and the targets for 2016. Aludium Today (AT): Has Aludium achieved the goals you set at the launch of the business? Manuel Ruano (MR): The management team set three main goals for the first year of Aludium. They were to become an independent company, grow sustainably, and to reduce the cost of our raw materials. I am pleased to say we have achieved all three.
Having said that, our main market is still central Europe, and particularly Germany which takes more than a quarter of our products. The next most important markets are in France, Italy, the UK, and the Netherlands. In total, 80% of our production ends up outside Spain.
From the first day of operations, Aludium has been an independent entity. Not only that, our employees and customers reacted very positively and gave us their confidence. And the most important banks in the country believed in our project and joined us.
AT: How many people do you employ now?
That support has allowed Aludium to grow sustainably. We have not lost one major customer, and every day we win a little bit of market share from our competitors.
During 2015 we have balanced resources to production. That has meant Alicante has not needed to use the temporary layoff provision (ERTE) available since the economic crisis. We are working to ensure that trend continues throughout 2016.
We have also taken steps to reduce the cost of the metal we use. In September, the Board approved new smelting capacity in Amorebieta which will allow us to recycle more aluminium scrap.
AT: Where are Aludium’s products utilised? MR: We produce aluminium for the largest players in three broad sectors: • Building and construction. • Industrial products for automotive trim, transportation, and machine tools. • Special products such as packaging, caps, cosmetic packaging, lighting, and renewable energy components. We are about to launch a new product made at Aludium Alicante which will be used to manufacture cans.
AT: Where does Aludium export its products? MR: Aludium supplies rolled aluminium to 32 countries around the world: from Chile to Canada, and from the Middle East to China.
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Export is in our DNA, and without it our business would not grow.
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MR: Aludium currently employs 850 people, mainly in Spain. However, we also have employees in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK.
AT: Can you share Aludium’s production and turnover for the past year? MR: In 2015, Aludium produced and sold 182,900 tonnes of aluminium laminate which generated turnover of more than €482 million. Compared to their performance in 2014, the three mills increased production by 12,200 tonnes (+7%).
AT: What is the forecast for 2016? MR: Growth of 10 percent is forecast for 2016 which will increase production to around 204,000 tonnes. We are convinced that this is achievable through sustainable growth. Aludium intends to continue producing the range of products we now offer. However, our Cindal R&D team have a number of new products in the pipeline. They also have a clear goal to become more involved with our customers and to help them develop new applications.
AT: What investments have you made and what will they mean for Aludium? MR: A new furnace will come on-stream in Amorebieta during the last quarter of this year. It has the capacity to produce around 30,000 tonnes of primary aluminium annually. But the new technology is more important than the volume itself. It will allow us to reduce energy consumption and melt low-cost painted scrap. This is of vital importance to Aludium as it will allow us to improve our competitive position.
AT: In which sectors have you seen the most growth? MR: In 2015, building and construction grew by eight percent. This year we aim to increase that to 10 percent. One factor behind this growth has been the depreciation of the euro against the US dollar. This has improved Europe’s competitive position substantially. Our main customers are increasing their exports outside the EU as a result. For example, one of our European customers recently won a contract to supply aluminium for a new airport in China. They will supply a thousand tonnes of painted sheet metal using aluminium from Aludium’s factories in Spain. This year we will deliver a similar amount of metal for another new Chinese airport. These success stories are evidence of the possibilities for aluminium in the building and construction industry. It’s a lightweight metal with impressive thermal properties, and I believe its potential is completely untapped. In the other markets in which Aludium is active we have seen more moderate growth of around one to two percent. We expect this to be higher during 2016 as we continue to gain market share from our competitors. ■
Finance
Hedging: Life insurance for Aludium As Director of Risk Management, Geert Van den Broeck is responsible for hedging our transactions to ensure Aludium mitigates the effect of fluctuations in global currency and commodity markets.
The team in Amstelveen: Sebastiaan Postma, Paola Adrianza, Geert Van den Broeck, Simona Baritello and Raymon Danser
Geert’s appointment reflects the importance management pays to risk management. His team ‘hedges’ (manages) three specific types of risk which affect the company’s bottom line. They include foreign exchange, commodity prices, and the Rotterdam Premium for aluminium. Using very specialised financial products, Geert and his team are able to neutralise almost all of these risks, and customers benefit as a result. “Hedging is critical to Aludium’s business as it allows us to secure our margins and revenue. We can also mitigate or avoid the effects of currency or commodity speculation on the world market. This is absolutely essential to create a stable revenue stream.”
clients to mitigate the risk of price volatility and continue their operations in a secure, stable, and safe financial condition.”
Among first to hedge Rotterdam Premium Geert leads a team of five specialists in risk and credit management: “Being a risk manager is not a 9-to-5 job and our risk managers must be very resistant to stress. We start every day with a view of the global financial, commodity, and political news so we understand what is happening in the world. Then we look at what is happening in Aludium such as order volume and timing, and the currencies we need to cover.” Once the team have the global and internal picture, they start to place orders on the London Metal Exchange (LME).
Group hedging benefits customers
Meet Geert Van den Broeck Geert was born and raised in Heist op den Berg, about 40 kilometres from Antwerp (Belgium). He gained a Masters in economics from the University of Leuven, before obtaining an MBA from the University of Brussels. After 15 years in finance, Geert became responsible for hedging at Nyrstar, a zinc processor. That was in 2008, the year the financial crisis broke. He joined Aludium in January 2015. Geert loves spending time with his son, scuba diving, skiing, and enjoys a good red wine. ■
Hedging is also very important for Aludium’s customers. If they create products with a high level of aluminium content, the price of the metal can have a big impact on their pricing and margins. “Imagine that a customer wants to buy 100 tonnes of aluminium for delivery in December,” explains Geert. “Today the price might be €1,450 per tonne, but Aludium will only produce the material a month before delivery. In November it might be up to €1,550/tonne. That would increase the cost of the metal for the customer by €10,000 (100 tonnes x €100). By fixing the price today, the customer guarantees their profit margin.” “Many of our customers do not consume sufficient amounts of aluminium to warrant using external hedging providers,” Geert notes. “However, Aludium can group a lot of small orders into one big order and hedge this larger volume. That allows our
The Rotterdam Premium is a margin which is added to the LME price for aluminium. It reflects the logistical costs of moving aluminium around the world, costs which are not covered in the LME rate. “During 2015, the Rotterdam Premium was extremely volatile so it is very important that this risk is hedged,” notes Geert. “This has only been possible since 2015, and Aludium is one of the first suppliers to hedge the Premium.” As you might expect, there is rarely a dull moment in Geert’s day: “I love the international scope of this job. I also like the fact that Aludium has a very flat structure, open atmosphere, and approachable lead team. I really enjoy being part of it.” For more information on Aludium’s pricing policy visit: aludium.com/aludium/pricing. ■
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SPRINT
Ready, set – SPRINT! In early 2015, Aludium started on a journey to replace our legacy IT systems with a purpose-built platform which will take our operations forward. Known as SPRINT, the first phase of this project will conclude in June this year when all of Aludium’s sites go live with the new system. Marcel Crince, Aludium’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has overseen the SPRINT implementation. Aludium Today spoke with him to find out what’s in store for suppliers, customers, and Aludium’s staff. Although these systems are good, they do not fit the scale of Aludium’s operations. The new system allows us to manage all of our processes from one platform which increases transparency across the business, and towards customers.
What does SPRINT cover? Marcel Crince (MC): SPRINT is an integrated system of software solutions which will manage all of Aludium’s processes. That includes everything from production to order quotes and invoicing. It’s important to note that SPRINT is about more than just IT. Rather, it is about preparing Aludium for the future and improving the way we work. SPRINT will have an impact on everybody at Aludium, whether they work in finance, sales, procurement, the factory, or management.
Who is supplying the software? (MC): Aludium has bought an enterprise resource planning (ERP) package from the Swedish company IFS, a leading global supplier of ERP systems. However, we have tailored the IFS system to the specific needs of Aludium. We are very confident that the system will meet our needs. IFS has a lot of experience in this area, and has supplied many similar systems to companies like Aludium. The systems IFS develops are known for their user friendliness and flexible modular nature. This ensures they can be adapted to the needs of a growing business like Aludium.
Why implement SPRINT now? (MC): It is a strategic decision which will enable Aludium to become independent from the legacy systems we inherited.
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SPRINT will give us a modern, integrated, modular system that is flexible and easy to update by our team. It also gives the Aludium management team a central dashboard where they can monitor and manage every process at every facility. This will allow Aludium to become a truly agile business which can respond more quickly to the changing needs of our customers and the market.
What will the new systems mean for our customers? (MC): Customers should notice very little change. We are already working with customers who use our electronic data
Accounting Production
Inventory
ERP
interchange (EDI) to renew their connections and ensure a smooth transition. The new portal is also being demonstrated to customers in time for the changeover.
Will there be further updates to SPRINT? (MC): We want to make the changeover from the old systems to the new one as simple as possible. For that reason, the first release of SPRINT will focus on basic functionality. That will give us everything we need to run our business, but on a completely new platform. New functionality will be added in the near future as needed.
What is Aludium doing to ensure SPRINT is a success? (MC): This is a huge project which will have an enormous impact on our business. We have done everything we can to prepare for the change. We have created dedicated teams at Aludium and at IFS. Together they have been working for over a year on tailoring the software to our needs. The core Aludium HR team includes more than 20 specialists who are supported by functional Delivery experts and key users from the business.
Purchase
IT
Planning
Sales Engineering Aludium’s new ERP system covers all parts of the business
They have thoroughly tested the systems to ensure they work in the way we expect.
Where is Aludium now in the process of rolling out SPRINT? (MC): The SPRINT team has been working since the summer of 2015 to prepare the new ERP system and its implementation. We are reaching the end of the preparation phase and are set for Go-Live in Alicante and Amorebieta on 1 June. Castelsarrasin will go live two weeks later. The last steps in the preparation phase mainly involve training. The planning and training materials have been developed by Aludium’s functional experts. Key users will receive their final training from IFS in the first week of May. End-user training will start immediately after that. In total, more than 800 people will receive training before Go-Live in June.
What happens if things go wrong? (MC): The changeover has been well planned and organised and we are following a roadmap that includes the smallest details. So we’re confident that the change will go smoothly. But we also know that it is impossible to foresee every eventuality and problems may occur. That’s why we developed a ‘worst case’ scenario and an appropriate fail-safe contingency plan just in case.
Cristina Jaca (Business Transition Lead) has been responsible for defining the functionality of the new systems
What will happen during the Go-Live phase?
completing the data migration so that production orders, raw material inventory, and the finished goods inventory are up-to-date. Once this is done, the machine interfaces can be connected to the IFS system and production can resume. Our target is to have this completed by 14.00 on 1 June. Immediately following this initial phase, extensive support will be provided to Aludium’s manufacturing staff by the core team and IFS.
(MC): Alicante and Amorebieta will Go-Live on 1 June with Castelsarrasin following two weeks later. This is a very critical moment in the SPRINT implementation. During Go-Live we will stop the old systems and switch over to the IFS system. In the week after, the full SPRINT team will provide 24-hour support to every shift to ensure the changeover goes as smoothly as possible. They will be supplemented with an on-site team from IFS who will provide additional assistance where needed.
During the initial days after Go-Live, Aludium’s Finance Department will check postings, triggered by manufacturing, in the inventory and general ledgers. With some exceptions, shipments and receipts will be activated by Saturday 4 June. 4 June will also see deliveries to customers resume, supported by the new IFS system. By Tuesday 7 June, receipts of raw materials and other goods will resume.
What is the full Go-Live schedule? (MC): The last orders will be entered into the legacy systems on Friday 27 May. These systems will be stopped at 6 am on Wednesday 1 June, at the end of the night shift.
Once production is stabilised in Alicante and Amorebieta, the complete team will focus on the changeover in Castelsarrasin. ■
The next priority is to start-up and stabilise the manufacturing processes in Alicante and Amorebieta. This will involve
Go-Live planning Stop order entry
Start Sprint
Sprint up & running
Start order entry
STABILISING MANUFACTURING PROCESSES FINAL DATA MIGRATION
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1 JUNE Stop legacy system Willem Lens (Testing and Integration Coordinator) briefs the Core Team on progress during a recent SPRINT meeting
Start IFS Machine interfaces reconnected
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Customer Service
Making a difference, one customer at a time Aludium’s customer service representatives (CSRs) are the vital link between our clients and every other part of the business. They take care of almost every contact we have with a client, whether it is a pricing request, delivery schedule, or technical question about Aludium’s products. And all of this is done in the customer’s own language wherever possible. So what does it take to be a CSR at Aludium? In any company, good service makes the difference between success and being just another player in the market. At Aludium we aim to make life easier for our customers by selecting CSRs who are reliable, quick, friendly, flexible, and pro-active. “We have very talented people who can take care of every question,” notes Jack Flipsen, Aludium’s Director of Customer Service. “In many cases they are the main contact with the customer for any day-to-day activities.”
Even where questions need to be referred to an expert for resolution, the goal is to provide same day service wherever possible. For example, current prices and availability of material can be provided immediately, but information about new or special products may take longer.
Local supplier, wherever our customers are
Two-way communication vital for success
Aludium also believes it is very important to speak the same language as our customers as Jack explains: “While we can’t cover every language, the local aspect is very important. We aim to be a local supplier to our customers, not an anonymous call centre. That’s why we have CSRs who are fluent in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. We also have people who speak Arabic, Hungarian, Portuguese, and Russian which improves communication immensely.”
CSRs are also asked to keep their ears open to ensure two-way communication with our customers. “Listen to what the customers need and pass this information back to Aludium,” Jack Flipsen tells his people. “That way Aludium can quickly respond to changing customer needs and improve our products and processes.”
Every CSR at Aludium is trained to try and solve problems in the initial call or email. “Questions that cannot be solved in the first contact are referred to the relevant person within Aludium and the CSR gets back to the customer,” explains Jack Flipsen. “For example, technical questions are referred to the mill or the Cindal R&D team, but we ask the CSR to contact the customer with the answer.
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This way we are increasing the knowledge level of our people and ensuring that the next customer to ask this question will get the answer immediately.”
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Meet Jack Flipsen Jack was born and raised near Breda, in the south of the Netherlands. He studied Business Administration in Tilburg before beginning his career in planning and logistics with Interbrew.
Reactivity demonstrates customer service commitment There are three main parts to the CSR’s daily work: 1. Order registration, supervision, and shipment. 2. Quotes and other support to account managers. 3. Problem solving and claims resolution. Jack pays particular attention to issues which affect Aludium’s relationship with the customer. “In every business there are the occasional problems,” he explains. “But the reactivity of the business to those problems says a lot about our service performance. That’s why I closely track the time it takes to
Feedback to Aludium is done informally, but it takes place in the presence of representatives from the mills. This helps each site to get a full picture of customer needs and to develop new products. When Aludium was formed, many of our CSRs came from Alcoa. Today CSRs are positioned at our mills in Alicante and Amorebieta (Spain) and in Castelsarrasin (France). Aludium also has customer service people in Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
CSR Alicante: (from left to right) Nora Conti, Lucia Gomez, Aurelio López, Pedro Revuelto, Beatriz Herrera and Agnes Horvathne
Customer Service
Aludium’s customer service office in Dusseldorf (Germany)
The Aludium CSR team
In 1989 Jack joined Alcoa as an industrial engineer, before moving into supply chain management. With the company’s growth in Europe, Jack moved first to Hungary, then Italy, Spain, and Switzerland. After 25 years, he left to become Director of Metals CoE at Tata Consultancy Services. But when Manuel Ruano asked Jack to join the new Aludium, he couldn’t resist, and became Director of Customer Service, and Sales and Operational Planning in January 2015. ■
resolve claims. I’m also paying close attention to our logistics reliability and comparing the number of deliveries made on time with those that are late.” What makes him happy? “That we reach 100% capacity on a daily basis, our delivery performance indicators are achieved, and our supply chain can beat those of our competitors.”
What will the future bring for customer support? Aludium is in the process of implementing a new enterprise reporting system (ERP) to replace our existing systems and this will have a huge impact on our CSRs, as Jack explains: “We have
been working since last year on the integration of all our internal systems into one single platform. We’ve designed it so there is one process flow from quotation to delivery. Everybody within Aludium will have access to the same information in real time.” The new systems are scheduled to go-live from 1 June. “We have a back-up plan in place in case things don’t go according to schedule,” notes Jack. “Our goal is to ensure that customers are disrupted as little as possible during this important changeover period. We will communicate directly with them if problems occur at any stage.” ■
Germany (Dusseldorf) Erika Baier Andrea Detering Nora Djaidi Christoph Jordetzka Italy Anna Maria Volpe UK Minerva Gullick
France (Castelsarassin) Paola Laveder
Spain (Alicante) Eleonora Conti Agnes Horvathne Aurelio Lopez Perez Lucia Gomez Catalan Pedro Revuelto Rodriguez
Spain (Amorebieta) Claire Arrizabalaga Boutet Iker Eguskiza Ruiz Itziar Franco Cabezas Ana Lorente Maestre Sonia Martin Trasvina Sorne Eguileor Iturrioz
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Product Innovation
F RO
M TH E MI LL TO T H C AR E
TEXTURANDUM
®
by Aludium
At Aludium, development proceeds quickly thanks to the capabilities of our in-house Cindal R&D facility. Just a year after Aludium was launched, the company has been granted its first patent for Texturandum®, a breakthrough solution in tailorable aluminium finishes. Aludium Today spoke with Dr Segundo Sanchez, who devised this unique product, about its development and applications.
Geometric or natural patterns can be applied to the alloy
Aludium Today (AT): How did you come up with the idea for Texturandum®? Dr Segundo Sanchez (SS): Like many inventions, Texturandum® was devised while I was researching something else. At the time I was investigating how we could apply permanent grids or other designs to aluminium. Applying these grids gives us the ability to visually analyse formability issues. To create these patterns, I investigate several techniques. Together with my colleague Ignacio Gil, we discovered a technology which enables us to transfer interesting aesthetic patterns to aluminium in the mill.
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AT: Where are we in the development of Texturandum®? (SS): This unique and innovative technology was fine-tuned during 2015 and Texturandum® is now ready to be tested in a real production environment. Early trials have gone extremely well and we expect Texturandum® to be fully ready for industrial-scale production in the second half of 2016. We have also been awarded a patent for Texturandum®, ensuring that our technology is well protected.
AT: Does that mean you can tailor Texturandum® for different customers? (SS): Certainly! At Aludium, we are happy to co-engineer the development of exclusive, tailor-made patterns with our customers. For example, imagine a Mini in racing green with a matching dashboard and the Mini-logo integrated into the colour as a watermark. And when we develop a very specific pattern with a customer, they can own the pattern. Exclusiveness guaranteed!
AT: How does Texturandum® differ from Decorandum®?
AT: What are the advantages for Aludium’s customers?
(SS): Texturandum® is unique and completely different. Decorandum® is characterised by its random patterns. With Texturandum®, any kind of well-defined pattern can be applied to the aluminium. These can be natural patterns such as leather, honeycomb, or elephant skin, or geometric patterns like carbon-fibre or a chequer board. Even graphical elements such as logos or characters can be applied. In fact, almost every pattern is possible.
(SS): Until now you could only achieve Texturandum® patterns with expensive, labour-intensive processes such as embossing, brushing or printing operations. Texturandum® eliminates these processes which will lead to significant cost and time savings during processing. As Texturandum® can be anodised, clear coated, and printed, customers can also innovate their applications and create added value.
Product Innovation
Tailor-made patterns for decorative applications on an alloy without the finish. Whether it is bending, cutting, or forming, Texturandum® will behave exactly the same way.
AT: Have you shown Texturandum® to customers yet?
The dashboard of a Fiat 500 could be tailored with Texturandum®
The process of applying the Texturandum® finish to the aluminium doesn’t have any impact on the initial mechanical properties of the metal itself. The advantages speak for themselves: our customers don’t have to change anything in their process if they want to start working with Texturandum®. The aluminium will behave in exactly the same way as the standard alloy without the Texturandum® finish. Introducing Texturandum® into an existing production line won’t cause any problems and can be implemented very quickly.
Other gauges and formats will become available after the start-up period. Customers can perform almost any process on Texturandum® that they could
AT: In which formats will Texturandum® be available and what processes can customers carry out?
(SS): The first samples have been presented to some of our customers and their feedback has been quite impressive. Makers of automotive trim have been very interested, particularly for the interiors of today’s modern mobility solutions. We’ve also discovered some applications we never thought of. For example, a customer wants to use Texturandum® to watermark the packaging of their products to protect them against copycats. Manufacturers of interior design elements have also been very enthusiastic. We are convinced that Texturandum® is the ideal finish in any application where pattern and/or colour adds value. ■
(SS): When it is released in the second half of 2016, Texturandum® will be available in coils and slit coils. The initial gauges will range from 0.2 to 1.0 mm.
Why you should choose Texturandum®: • • • • • •
Available in a wide range of soft alloys, and as coils and slit coils Natural or geometric patterns applied directly at the mill Tailor-made patterns guarantee exclusivity Authentic look and feel but using a cost-effective industrial process Finish does not impact on the general performance of the alloy Industrialised process ensures consistent look and feel.
Tailormade patterns for the dashboards of urban funcars
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Product Innovation
DECORANDUM
®
F RO
M TH E MI LL TO
by Aludium
TH C AR E
Premium aluminium for premium applications Decorandum® was developed by Aludium’s Cindal R&D centre as an alternative to stainless steel in decorative applications. This unique product is now finding uses in a range of different sectors from building and construction to automotive trim. In this interview we speak with Dr Salvador A. Marcilla Gomis, Aludium’s R&D Director and head of Cindal, to find out why Decorandum® was developed and the how he see the evolution of this remarkable product. Aludium Today: What was the motivation behind Cindal’s decision to develop Decorandum®? Dr Salvador A. Marcilla Gomis (SM): A number of years ago we undertook an analysis of the processes lift makers use to create the decorative panels in elevators. Through these processes, the supplier is looking to create decorative panels which are tactile but durable in high-use areas. Touch is very important for example, the metal needs to feel cold. At the same time, the suppliers are looking to reduce the weight of the parts they produce, and they also want to reduce costs. One way to do this is to reduce labour costs by automating processes. However, decorative aluminium elements require a lot of manual work. Brushing surfaces is very time consuming and many suppliers still do this by hand.
The result is Decorandum®, a product that our customers don’t need to brush by hand anymore. The aluminium comes directly from the mill in a brushed state and with very consistent quality. Brushing has become an industrial process, but with the look and feel of a handcrafted product.
AT: When was Decorandum® launched? SM: It took us four years to develop and optimise a completely new production process. Decorandum® was registered last year and officially launched at Automotive Interiors 2015. Although this wasn’t the first application we envisaged for Decorandum®, we are now in the qualification phase with a number of
automotive customers. We’re providing them with technical support to fine tune their processes so that Decorandum® can be integrated into their products.
AT: How many finishes are available? SM: From the start we decided to develop a complete product line. We have created three different grades, each with a different type of longitudinal brushstroke. Two of the grades are available in a standard or vivid finish. Vivid (denoted by a V in the product name) has a deeper, more explicit roughness. The three grades are: • Decorandum® D10: Provides the smoothest finish, bringing the feeling of luxury to almost any application. • Decorandum® D30/D30V: The lightweight alternative to stainless steel. Combines the roughest finish with medium track lines to create a sparkling and flashy appearance.
From this analysis, the Cindal team started to investigate whether we could find answers to these problems, and increase the use of aluminium in decorative applications at the same time.
• Decorandum® D50/D50V: Guarantees an elegant and classic appearance with a smooth finish and the longest track lines. D30
D10
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D30
D50
Product Innovation
Iso Decorandum®
Benefits of Decorandum® in a nutshell: • Available in every alloy (1xxx, 3xxx, 5xxx, 8xxx) and format (coils, slit coils, and sheets) • Unique thickness: from 1.5 mm down to an ultra thin 0.10 mm (just 80 microns) • Three patterns, two intensities – and more under development • Lightweight alternative to stainless steel • Authentic premium look and feel without costly handwork • Industrialised process gives a consistent look and feel.
ISO Decorandum® advantages: • 50% less smudge means less degreasing before lacquering • Much better lubrication improves formability • Unidirectional pattern optimises cutting and processing operations.
We can supply Decorandum® in a wide range of alloys and thicknesses from 0.10 to 1.5 millimetres (or thicker on request). This ensures it can work in different production processes. Aludium can deliver Decorandum® as coils, slit coils, or sheets.
AT: What the advantages of Decorandum®? SM: There are many, but the main advantage is thickness. We can deliver Decorandum® in a wide range of thicknesses, including very thin. This allows suppliers to use Decorandum® as a decorative layer on a plastic, moulded component. But it can also be used as a structural (and decorative) part. The aluminium gives strength to the part, but not additional weight. These properties make it ideal for interior decorative applications. Decorandum® is also available in a wide range of alloys. And it can be anodised or lacquered to add colour or the correct level of corrosion protection for the application.
AT: In which sectors do you think Decorandum® could add value? SM: We initially developed Decorandum® as a decorative solution. But it has the potential to be used in a wide variety of
applications. Decorandum® is very suitable for automotive trim such as dashboards or panels, or as a finish for domestic appliances such as refrigerators. Essentially anywhere stainless steel is used purely for decorative purposes. But Decorandum® has the advantage of light weight, easy formability, and a selection of decorative patterns. We have already seen Decorandum® used to finish the hall of an office building. There are a lot of structural pillars clad in Decorandum® to give the stainless steel look. In fact, it would have been impossible to clad these pillars in stainless steel because the radius is too small. For Decorandum® this was not a problem thanks to its flexible thickness.
AT: How can our customers get their hands on Decorandum®? SM: You need to see it to believe it! That’s why we have implemented a sample service at Cindal. We ensure each of our sales managers has samples that they can show their customers. So ask your sales manager for a demonstration today. ■
AT: Tell us about the latest development – ISO Decorandum®… SM: We don’t sit still at Cindal! While we were trying to find a way to harden the cylinders of our mills, we discovered ISO. Where the original Decorandum® patterns are longitudinal, ISO Decorandum® has a scattered, unidirectional pattern. The first ISO Decorandum® is now in development and we hope to have it ready for industrialisation by the second quarter of 2016. ISO Decorandum® will improve the competitiveness of our customers drastically.
AT: What are the advantages of ISO Decorandum®? SM: It offers even better formability than pure Decorandum® due to better lubrication properties. Forming capacity is improved greatly, making even more complex aesthetic shapes possible. Because we can deliver ISO Decorandum® as an almost ‘dry’ aluminium (it has 50% less smudge), degreasing is almost eliminated. It also provides a better surface for lacquering. ISO Decorandum® is also easier to process because of the scattered, unidirectional pattern. Effectively you don’t need to worry about the direction of the pattern. Cutting can be optimised to the available surface area, reducing scrap. Processing also becomes simpler as the operators do not need to monitor the direction of the pattern. We also believe it could revolutionise lighting. Light reflects off ISO Decorandum® in every direction, making it the perfect reflective material for LEDs in modern lighting solutions. ■
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Aludium Transportation centre to focus on mobility Aludium’s Cindal R&D centre has opened a new facility dedicated to exploring aluminium solutions for the automotive industry. To be known as Aludium Transportation, the facility will become a centre of excellence within the company and identify opportunities for Aludium to further its involvement in the sector. Aludium Today spoke with Antonio Quereda, our new Director for Innovation and Technology, who is responsible for Aludium Transportation.
Aludium Today: Why did Aludium decide to open a centre dedicated to transportation? Antonio Quereda: Aludium Transportation will focus on applications for aluminium in automotive, heavy trucks, buses, and railways. Our goal is to develop materials and components by working with Tier 1 and 2 suppliers. We don’t just want to be a raw material provider, we also want to provide co-engineering and service support. It will be a more systematic approach. At the business level, Aludium can bring a lot of added value to our transportation customers and help them to become more competitive. It’s why we have developed products such as Decorandum® and Texturandum®. We can also help our customers through research – something that Tier 1 and 2 suppliers are sometimes unable to do due to lack of resources.
AT: What is the ultimate goal of the Aludium Transportation centre? AQ: Our target is to bring aluminium to a wider range of the automotive models on offer. Until now aluminium has been limited to premium brands such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Range Rover. We aim to bring it to the next level down.
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We have already launched development programmes to explore cost-effective technologies which can make aluminium attractive to OEMs with models in the medium price bracket. Decorandum®, ISO Decorandum®, and Texturandum® are examples of products we have already brought to market as part of this strategy. These products can go directly from the mill into the vehicle. Other similar products are in the pipeline. You can read more about Decorandum® (page 12) and Texturandum® (page 10) in this issue.
AT: What is the difference between Aludium Transportation and the R&D centres of our competitors? AQ: Aludium Transportation is part of our Cindal R&D centre, one of the leading reference laboratories for aluminium research and development in Europe. Our existing expertise gives us an enormous competitive advantage over our current competition. It is unique for an aluminium manufacturer of our size to have a dedicated R&D centre with the experience of Cindal. We are already utilising this knowledge to help our customers become more competitive. Other manufacturers lack these in-house R&D capabilities and need to outsource research to universities. While they are very talented people, universities don’t have the practical long-term knowledge and experience with aluminium that we have.
Cindal
Cindal doesn’t just understand aluminium as a product, our R&D team knows how it must be made so it can respond perfectly during the processes our customers will use. For decades, Cindal was the technology centre for aluminium rolling across the global Alcoa group, so we have a great deal of experience in processing.
AT: How does Aludium plan to leverage our R&D experience in the automotive sector? AQ: We’re already providing components, advice, and support to Tier 2 automotive suppliers. However, we plan to enter more strategic partnerships with Tier 1 and 2 suppliers. That will see us become involved in the early development phases for new products, offering new solutions, and supporting our customers at all phases of the project. Aludium’s extensive knowledge of aluminium, together with our testing and analysis capabilities, makes us the ideal partner for this type of project.
AT: I believe the next step for your team is ‘Car mapping’ – what does that involve? AQ: Car mapping includes two main activities. In the first phase we will characterise existing aluminium components to gain an understanding of the alloys, processes, and mechanical requirements. This will give us a deeper understanding of the needs of the transportation sector. In the second phase, we want to offer solutions which replace steel or other materials with lighter weight aluminium alternatives. Weight reduction is a must in
this industry to meet more demanding regulations and create sustainable, environmentally friendly mobility options. We believe there is still room for improvement and that aluminium, coupled with Aludium’s knowledge, will provide the answer. By July 2016 we will be ready to invite existing and potential customers to the Aludium Transportation centre in Alicante. There we can discuss Aludium’s offer and our proactive approach.
AT: What direct experience does Aludium have with transportation at the management level? AQ: Many of our personnel, including members of our top management team, have a background in the automotive world. Both Manuel Ruano, our COO, and I come from automotive so we know the processes used to develop components for transportation. Alberto Ruiz, our plant manager at Alicante, also has a lot of experience in the sector. From 1998 to 2007 he worked in various quality and project management roles at Carcoustics and Schefenacker Motherson. These key people understand the needs of Tier 1 and 2 suppliers, and that experience and knowledge of our processes will be used to support our sales managers. That will help them to gain a much more in-depth knowledge of the sector.
AT: What can the Transportation Centre offer our automotive customers today? AQ: We already offer the same services we provide to Aludium’s other markets: sample characterisation, metallographic analysis, thermomechanical analysis, or on-site assessments when required. But we also offer a much more comprehensive range of development activities for customers developing new transportation projects. In the future we aim to become involved in the development phase much earlier. There is other support we can offer. For example, Aludium has over half a century of experience with formability as a world leading supplier to the global cosmetic packaging, and closures, and food can markets. This gives us a deep understanding of aluminium’s behaviour in forming and drawing processes. We have already applied this knowledge to help Tier 2 suppliers create the complex shapes required for automotive trim applications.
AT: How does a typical project start and progress? AQ: In every case we follow a standard approach to automotive development projects. We are certified as a provider of automotive materials under the ISO/ TS16949 quality standard and utilise advanced product quality planning (APQP) procedures. There are specific >
Aludium’s new Transportation Centre in Alicante (Spain)
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Cindal
AT: Why is Aludium participating at the Automotive Interiors show? AQ: We want to showcase our abilities to the sector. We want to show that we have already developed lightweight solutions such as our Decorandum® brand for premium vehicles, and offer solutions such as Texturandum® for medium level vehicles. Aludium has made a strategic decision to develop solutions for this market and there are more products in the pipeline. phases and tools such as failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)s, and control gates to monitor and report progress at every stage.
We also want to meet representatives from Tier 1 and 2 suppliers so we can explain our capabilities as material developers and long-term partners. There
Once we start to work with the component manufacturer we jointly develop the necessary documentation such as a product and process definition; corresponding FMEAs; a validation plan to eliminate or mitigate risks; and we define the steps required to industrialise the product. Of course, we also give our customers all the technical support they require for full certification of the component.
Aludium at Automotive Interiors 2016 Aludium will exhibit at Automotive Interiors 2016 for the second year in a row. The show will be held in Stuttgart from 31 May to 2 June. During Automotive Interiors Aludium will present our products and coengineering capabilities to the global automotive industry. Aludium’s products are already included in some of the world’s leading vehicle brands such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. Many more brands feature marque badges made from our premium aluminium grades.
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During a visit to our stand, customers will discover how Aludium Transportation and our Cindal R&D facility can work with them to coengineer automotive interiors. By combining our in-house R&D expertise with our leading production facilities in Alicante and Castelsarrasin, we can help customers create functional, lightweight, and aesthetically unique automotive interior solutions. Whatever the project, Aludium helps designers realise their dreams. Visit Aludium during Automotive Interiors 2016 in Hall 3, Booth A5516. ■
will be people on our booth from both the Commercial and Technical departments and we are looking forward to some interesting discussions.
AT: Where do you see Aludium Transportation in the short-term? AQ: Within the next three years Aludium Transportation will be working on development projects with Tier 1 and 2 suppliers. We’ll have a much deeper knowledge of interior and exterior trim components, and be able to propose our own proven materials and processes to our customers. But the big difference will be that we are a partner to our customers rather than just being a material supplier. ■
Site news
Improvements across the business to increase Aludium’s capacity Aludium’s management team have announced new plans to increase the capacity of our mills by removing bottlenecks across the internal metal supply chain. The changes will see processes improved at all three Aludium mills, and a significant increase in melting capacity at Amorebieta.
Aludium’s output is largely determined by the capacity of our hot mill in Amorebieta which is at the centre of our production system. The hot mill supplies coils to our cold mills in Amorebieta and Alicante. Products which have been cold rolled are then sent to customers, or used as feedstock for Aludium’s bright mill in Castelsarrasin. Aludium’s sales expectations for the next few years are very ambitious. During 2016 we aim to increase production at the hot mill by 11 percent compared to 2015. In the medium term we will need to increase this by another 20 percent to achieve our hot mill production goal of 300,000 tonnes per year.
Hot rolled products are distributed from Amorebieta to Aludium’s cold rolling mills To ensure we reach these targets, Aludium’s management team has approved a cautious investment plan for the period from 2016 to 2018. One of the
Amorebieta* Castelsarrasin* Castelsarrasin
Alicante*
Amorebieta’s hot mill is central to Aludium’s operations
first investments will increase melting capacity at Amorebieta. The mill will install a rotary furnace in mid-2016 which can process dirty scrap – scrap that has been painted or treated. As dirty scrap is cheaper than pure aluminium scrap, this investment will increase capacity and lower our metal costs.
Bright Mill Castelsarrasin
Production flow Scrap flow
Hot mill 300Mil Hot Mill 300Mil is a new project which will increase output at our Amorebieta hot mill to an average of 857 tonnes per day. This capacity is required to meet our future sales forecast. To achieve the target, we are implementing several new projects to improve productivity and reduce downtime without reducing quality or compromising safety. These changes should increase production to 200 tonnes a day compared to 2015. An Aludium team, including staff from all three mills and our Cindal R&D centre, is working to identify how these performance improvements can be implemented. >
Cold Mill Amorebieta
Cast House
Customers
Hot Mill Cold Mill Alicante
Hot rolled products are distributed from Amorebieta to Aludium’s cold rolling mills
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Hot mill in Amorebieta
Meet Alfonso Martinez Zarraga
Cold mill output to be improved
Alfonso was born in a small village near Bilbao in Spain’s Basque Country. He obtained a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Bilbao. Immediately after university, Alfonso began working for a small consulting firm, before joining Formica, a multinational with a production plant close to Amorebieta. After working in the operations area for 18 years, Alfonso left to join Aludium’s Amorebieta mill. His main challenges are improving the productivity of the mill while meeting customer needs and containing costs. In his spare time Alfonso enjoys running (he’s completed three marathons to date) and travel. ■
The output from Aludium’s cold mills in Amorebieta and Alicante also needs to be improved if we are to meet our targets. One bottleneck is annealing capacity in Amorebieta. To eliminate this, Aludium has launched HR500, another new project which will see average annealing capacity at Amorebieta reach 500 tonnes per day by the end of 2016. This will be achieved through small process improvements as well as major investments. Some of the small measures that are being taken include reducing cycle time and the speed at which the annealing furnace reaches the optimum
temperature. These improvements will increase capacity by 20 tonnes per day. The largest annealing capacity increase will come from the installation of a new annealing furnace in Amorebieta before the end of 2016. The new furnace will increase annealing capacity by another 45 tonnes per day on average.
Process changes to increase finishing capacity Another part of the Amorebieta mill which is scheduled for improvement is the finishing area. Here we have launched the CTL170 project to implement a number of procedural changes. This will increase capacity in the CA4 and CA5 cut-to-length (CTL) lines
Summary of projects underway:
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PROJECT
GOAL
Rotary furnace (Amorebieta)
Installation of a new rotary furnace to increase cast house melting capacity and reduce metal cost.
Hot Mill 300Mil project (Amorebieta)
Increase hot mill output to 300,000 tonnes per year.
Annealing furnace (Alicante)
Increase annealing capacity in an inert atmosphere to 39 coils per day.
HR500 (Amorebieta)
Process improvements and investments in a new annealing furnace to increase annealing capacity at Amorebieta to 500 tonnes/day by the end of 2016.
CTL170 (Amorebieta)
Increase finishing area output to 170 tonnes/day through process changes and new investments in the cutting lines.
Increase CTL capacity (Castelsarrasin)
Increase capacity to the automotive market by investing in a new CTL line.
Annealing furnace transfer (Castelsarrasin)
To increase annealing capacity at Castelsarrasin, an annealing furnace has been transferred from Alicante. The furnace will be used to produce sheets for the automotive market.
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Annealing line in Alicante
to 170 tonnes per day. We have also introduced the Kaizen continuous improvement methodology to identify further steps that can be taken. Other changes include the implementation of new machine settings to improve production, and ensuring that the right people are in the right place to minimise delays. The overall goal is to improve throughput at the finishing area by 170 tonnes per day. That would represent a 30 percent improvement on the throughput achieved in the last quarter of 2015.
Improvements scheduled at Alicante and Castelsarrasin It’s not just the Amorebieta mill which
will benefit from our improvement programme. At Castelsarrasin, Aludium has already installed an additional annealing furnace to increase capacity. Management has also approved the installation of a new CTL. This will improve quality and secure deliveries to our automotive and cosmetic packaging customers.
Working with our Cindal R&D team, we are investigating solutions which will reduce average treatment time without affecting quality. These steps include reducing downtime by implementing more efficient furnace loading and unloading procedures. We are also introducing logistic improvements to the supply chain to reduce the chance of delays.
In Alicante we need to increase annealing capacity so we can treat up to 39 coils per day in an inert atmosphere. To help us achieve this target, a new annealing furnace has been commissioned and will be operational by the second quarter of 2016. Production will also continue during bank holidays when the Alicante mill is normally closed.
The investments and process changes Aludium is making will enable us to become even more competitive in our core markets, where flexibility and short reaction speeds are critical. All improvements are being carried out to ensure that there is no harm to the environment, or the safety of our people. ■
Amorebieta and Alicante mills get dedicated transport link Aludium’s mills in Amorebieta and Alicante now have a dedicated transport connection. XPO Logistics will transport full truck loads between the two mills using a double-deck trailer reserved
exclusively for this service. The initiative will reduce the number of trips between the two sites and will help to reduce Aludium’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The Aludium brand will be a regular sight on Spain’s highway network
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Aludium News Roundup
A number of awards were handed out to Aludium’s staff during the Management Board Review (MBR) meeting in Alicante on 10 February 2016. The awards recognised the significant efforts Aludium’s staff have taken to solve problems and improve efficiency. Raul Rebollo, Antonio Miras, Daniel Navarro, Antonio Sirvent, and Oscar Carballo were recognised for their work in improving the metal usage rate in Alicante. Their efforts enabled the plant to reach the uptime target of 85 percent, reducing costs by mill €832,000, almost €100,000 above their goal.
Task Force Castelsarrasin received an award for their work to optimise the mill’s efficiency. Special mention went to Antonio Miras for identifying critical variables in key processes and the establishment of control methods. Jose Benito was recognised for solving a problem in the bright mill, simply by changing a procedure. Julio González received recognition for implementing a maintenance control panel for periodic tasks.
Alicante
Julio Carbonell, Elena Poveda, Jose Antonio López, and Fernando Tamara were also presented with an award during MBR for their work on improving the spare warehouse in Alicante. The team made a range of improvements including: • Organising spare parts by type • Improving the description of spare parts in the system, while reducing the number of codes by 1,600 • Reducing shelf height to eliminate the need for portable stairs • Implementation of an additional emergency exit to improve safety in the warehouse.
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Oscar Sanchez and Manuel Torregrosa (not pictured) from Alicante were recognised for solving a problem in the bright mill. The pair detected that products emerging from the mill had stripes of different thicknesses. By removing the spray bar and implementing an auxilliary alternative, they were able to achieve a uniform film of oil between the cylinder and the metal. This eliminated the stripes from the finished metal.
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Another project which has saved Aludium a significant sum was undertaken by Mercedes Rives, Alberto Dopazo, and Berta Llobregat (not pictured) from Alicante. The team compared pallets used for coils in Alicante with those utilised in Amorebieta. They discovered that the pallets were different sizes. By standardising the size of pallet used, the team was able to reduce pallet costs by approximately €16,000 per year.
Aludium France welcomes April QBR in Castelsarrasin
Three members of the Castelsarrasin team were recognised for their commitment to quality From left to right : Arnaud de Weert (CEO), Manuel Ruano (COO), Fabrice Paire, Jean Marc Cantin, Jean Luc Leparc, Emilie Luc (Production Manager), Claude Novarino (Team Leader) and Franck Listuzzi (Plant Director).
On 12 and 13 April Aludium held its Quarterly Business Review (QBR) in Castelsarrasin for the first time. Castelsarrasin welcomed more than 20 visitors over the two days of the meeting which outlined Aludium’s results for the first three months of 2016. The event was led by Arnaud de Weert (CEO) and Manuel Ruano (COO).
Castelsarrasin
Lastly, a team from Alicante competed in the 27th annual half marathon in Santa Pola, a coastal town south of the mill. The 12-member team completed the event with over 8,000 runners on 24 January 2016. ■
The first QBR for 2016 took place in the new Castelsarrasin meeting room. Inaugurated especially for this event, the new meeting room replaces an old, disused laboratory.
On the margins of the QBR, various events took place. One of the first was a tour of the shop floor which inspected the freshly painted and cleaned space. This work was carried out with the support of the Castelsarrasin operator and operational managers, with an important and significant contribution from the maintenance department. At the end of the first day, the visitors took part in Total Productivity Maintenance (TPM) activities which were led by the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) team and lead managers. The first activity involved cleaning the grinding machines to promote TPM. To close the QBR, Arnaud de Weert and Manuel Ruano recognised the quality commitment of three operators to Aludium’s productivity results. The award recognised the consistency of their behaviour which involves taking regular, pragmatic, and positive initiatives to improve the quality of our operations and products. ■
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Castelsarrasin
Site news
Aludium’s CEO and COO joined Aludium Lead and Castelsarrasin teams in a TPM activity
TPM in Aludium Total Productivity Maintenance (TPM) is an improvement methodology which is designed to optimise equipment reliability and ensure efficient management of assets. TPM is productiondriven and requires employees to work together to improve reliability and better serve Aludium’s customers. During the recent QBR in Castelsarrasin, Arnaud de Weert and Manuel Ruano joined a TPM workshop in the grinding and polishing area of the mill. Including the Aludium Lead and Castelsarrasin teams, 31 people took part in the event supported by four maintenance personnel.
Amorebieta
Amorebieta hosts customer visits During March 2016, Aludium Amorebieta received visits from two of our major customers: Alcoa Architectural and ThyssenKrupp.
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While grinding and polishing machines are not the most complex machines at Castelsarrasin, they are vital to the quality of the products we deliver to customers. During the TPM event, the team focussed on identifying and correcting defects on these machines. >
Site news
Winning drawing chosen as New Year card During December 2015, Aludium organised a drawing contest for children of employees. The winning entry was used as Aludium’s New Year card and was sent to all employees and customers.
Cleaning the grinding and polishing equipment and area as part of TPM
The area where the three machines are housed was also cleaned and painted. In total 32 defects were identified and actions were taken to solve them. The general appearance of the grinding and polishing area was also improved dramatically. Now it is up to the Castelsarrasin team to solve the remaining issues and further improve the machines.
Carlos Rivo Thomas Knöfel Ricardo Resende Dieter Winterhoff Pablo Camino
TPM is one of the seven stability tools Aludium has implemented to improve quality. These tools bring stability to our operations so that Aludium can more easily identify where we need to improve our processes or invest in new equipment. While there is a long way to go, TPM is already delivering excellent reliability and customer satisfaction results. ■
Quality and New Product Development Manager Aludium Amorebieta Head of Global Product Management NF Metals Product Manager for Thyssen Materials Ibérica Sales Director Distribution and Industrial Aludium Planning and Logistics Aludium Amorebieta
Aludium is a major supplier of aluminium to Alcoa Architectural which manufactures products for the building and construction sector. During the meeting, Alcoa Architectural provided a mid-year review of Aludium’s performance. A number of commercial, logistical, and quality topics were discussed and new action points
were agreed to further strengthen the relationship. Ricardo Resende, Product Manager for Thyssen Materials Ibérica and Thomas Knöfel, Head of Global Product Management for NF Metals visited Aludium Amorebieta as part of our annual review
The winning entry was drawn by 7-year old Keith Van den Broeck who is the son of Aludium’s Risk Manager, Geert. Keith received a cheque for €500 which he split equally between his school in Heist op den Berg (Belgium) and his local volleyball club. Aludium would like to thank all of the children who entered the competition. We hope to run it again this year. ■
with ThyssenKrupp. During the meeting, discussions focussed on the growth of Thyssen Ibérica. The business is expanding progressively in Portugal, but ThyssenKrupp wants to extend operations to the entire Iberian Peninsula. Aludium already collaborates with the Thyssen Ibérica centre near Oporto (Portugal). Based on the service level improvements Aludium has implemented over the past year, both Thyssen Ibérica and NF Metals are interested in cooperating further as Thyssen Ibérica pursues its local growth strategy. ■
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Aludium’s Cindal R&D centre has opened a new facility dedicated to exploring aluminium solutions for the automotive industry. To be known as Aludium Transportation, the facility will become a centre of excellence within the company and identify opportunities for Aludium to further its involvement in the sector.
ACR II Aluminium Group cooperatief U.A. Prof J.H. Bavincklaan 2-4 1183 AT Amstelveen The Netherlands
Aludium Amorebieta Barrio Ibarguren s/n E-48340 Amorebieta, Vizcaya Spain +34 944 887 500
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