The UK’s last remaining aluminium rolling mill is increasing its growing impact in electrification after signing a landmark transatlantic deal with Lotte Aluminium Materials USA.
Bridgnorth Aluminium (BAL), which employs 368 people at its expansive production facility in Shropshire, will deliver battery grade aluminium to one of the world’s leading suppliers of advanced materials for the battery industry.
Signed at the customer’s site in Elizabethtown in Kentucky, the five-year agreement marks the culmination of a technical and commercial journey that has seen both firms work closely together to bring new material to a rapidly emerging market.
Through extensive joint development work, qualification activities, and ongoing partnership, Bridgnorth Aluminium and Lotte have established a strong foundation to support the evolving requirements of the battery supply chain in North America.
Adrian Musgrave, Head of Sales at BAL, commented: “This landmark agreement marks an important milestone in our diversification strategy and will accelerate our growth within the battery materials sector.
“The transition to electrified transportation and energy storage presents one of the most significant industrial opportunities of our generation, and our technical expertise, agility and ‘green’ production methods are at the forefront of this transition.”
He continued: “Material manufactured here in Bridgnorth will be used by Lotte Aluminium Materials for the next five years. It will go into production of next generation batteries that will end up in electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
“Battery foil plays a critical role in battery performance, making secure, high-quality supply partnerships like this one increasingly important to manufacturers serving both the ‘EV’ and ‘ESS’ sectors.”
This latest deal represents a successful eighteen months for one of Shropshire’s largest manufacturing employers as it returned to 24/7 production.
Backed by the Viohalco Group, Bridgnorth Aluminium has recovered from a difficult trading environment to deliver a buoyant order book that covers customers in printing, packaging, construction, energy and, more recently, electrification.
New jobs have been created to take the workforce to 368 and more than £2m has been invested in the latest cast house technology and a dedicated slitting line to increase efficiency and capability.
Adrian went on to add: “These latest upgrades have complemented our proven technical expertise in developing high quality aluminium materials and this is giving us a strong foundation to target new sectors both at home and overseas.
“We’re leveraging collaborative agreements where we get involved in the early stages of a project. This means we can influence specification and ensure the high-grade material we supply delivers the most effective performance possible.
“This is reflected in the confidence that Lotte has placed in BAL and we look forward to exploring how the partnership can support the future growth of both organisations.”
For further information, please visit www.bridgnorthaluminium.co.uk. More details on Lotte can be found at https://lottealuminiummaterialsusa.com/
