Bridgnorth Aluminium has introduced a new thin-gauge slitting line at its UK site, adding capital equipment as the aluminum coil manufacturer marks 25 years under Viohalco Group. BAL marked the anniversary with more than 500 staff, dignitaries and stakeholders at its Bridgnorth site.
BAL has supplied customers in printing, packaging and construction. It has expanded into specialist aluminum coils for energy and mobility applications, including material for battery development under a five-year supply deal with Lotte Aluminium USA. The latest installation brings its total investment to £180 million.
“We are firmly committed to production in the UK and respect the special role Bridgnorth Aluminium plays in local life, providing employment for several generations of family,” commented Giorgos Drakos, board member of Bridgnorth Aluminium, part of the Viohalco Group.
“With this in mind, we wanted to mark 25 years of ownership by celebrating our tremendous workforce and the recent challenges we have overcome with Covid, tariffs and rising energy prices.”
He continued: “The turnaround in fortunes after a very difficult 2023/24 has been phenomenal and we now have a platform to win work both at home and overseas. Consistent investment has created an advanced rolling mill and a unique national asset.”
“Saturday was the opportunity to say thank you to the heartbeat of the business and to start writing a new chapter in the next 25 years of our history.”
BAL has donated £25,000 to charities and community groups, including a dedicated £15,000 boost to the Shropshire Community Foundation. This cause was chosen after it came out on top of a major survey of the workforce carried out earlier this year.
BAL has donated £25,000 to charities and community groups, including £15,000 for the Shropshire Community Foundation. The company has also renewed its commitment to a community garden built on the former Hazeldine Foundry site. BAL funded the project to mark the passing of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II and to recognize ties between its Greek owners and the Royal Family.
Adrian Musgrave, head of sales, added: “The community garden is such a fantastic place for local people to relax, unwind or socialize and we have agreed to invest £6000 every year into its annual maintenance.
“We are proud to be a Bridgnorth business and recognize that our factory has touched the lives of thousands of people in the town and will continue to do so as we expand. The garden is one of our ways of saying thank you!”
Source: Bridgnorth Aluminium
About Bridgnorth Aluminium
Bridgnorth Aluminium is a UK manufacturer of flat-rolled aluminum coils for industrial customers. The company traces its manufacturing history to the 1950s and is based in Bridgnorth, United Kingdom. It handles casting, hot and cold rolling, heat treatment, slitting, leveling and degreasing at one production site. Its products serve printing, packaging, construction, automotive, electrical and battery applications. The company supplies aluminum coils for transformer windings, lithium-ion battery foil, pharmaceutical and household foil, anodized building panels and common alloy sheet products. Bridgnorth Aluminium holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, IATF 16949 and Aluminium Stewardship Initiative certifications. The company employs about 350 people and serves customers in 14 countries. It operates as part of Aludium group.