The largest Polish manufacturer of aluminium profiles. The development of the aluminium processing industry in Poland has been gaining momentum from year to year. The competitors have been improving their positions but the plants operating in Poland still cannot compare to the production capacity of the Extruded Products Segment. The Company has been invariably occupying the first position among the growing number of Polish profiles manufacturers, and its comprehensive services are unequalled. The EPS has 13 presses and soon, when the two new lines will reach their target parameters, it will be capable of manufacturing roughly 90 thousand tonnes of extruded products a year. Only one press shop in Poland, which belongs to a foreign concern, is able to manufacture less than half of the volume, whereas the potential of other plants is up to 30 thousand tonnes a year. The combined forces of ZZPA and AK EMII (a company in Slovenia) also surmount competition in profiles surface treatment as well as the comprehensiveness and quality of services. With such potential, Grupa Kęty may each year increase the sales of aluminium profiles and components to the fastest-growing industries such as automotive, rail and air transport.
Record sales in 2018
PLN 1270
million
Sales
(growth by 12% y/y)
PLN 582
million
Exports
(growth by 12% y/y)
PLN 141
million
Capital expenditure
(growth by 18% y/y)
Exports account for
46%
of the EPS total sales
The largest project carried out by the Extruded Products Segments of Grupa Kęty in 2018 was the commissioning of a new line for extruding profiles from soft aluminium alloys with a 28 MN press, accompanied with the extension of the production hall in Kęty. High level of the press automation and incorporation therein of many innovative and environment friendly solutions contributed to thorough adjustment of the production process to the requirements of the automotive sector recipients, among other things. At the run out table of the press 3 saws for cutting hot profiles have been installed as well as automatic samples transport means, thanks to which taking samples for quality control does not slow down the extrusion process. Thus, the two priorities being the challenge of the production process – output and quality – will be simultaneously maintained at high level.
Along with the project, a construction of a 36 MN indirect press at the EPS Hard Alloys Plant commenced, planned to finish in the first half of 2019. The press, intended only for rods extruding, will contribute to a significant extension of the dimensional range and the sales volume of the products, as well as shortening of the lead time
In practice indirect extrusion is perceived as onerous, yet, the technology has been selected due to the perfect quality of rods manufactured by such presses. Full automation and auxiliary devices, such as a billet scalper, guarantee quality and performance. With such modern configuration, the indirect extrusion technology comes closer with regard to reliability and easiness of handling to the generally applied direct technology.
Other projects:
- completion of a new production hall construction at the Advanced Aluminium Products Plant in Kęty and commissioning of production of aluminium components for the automotive industry;
- installation at the Hard Alloys Plant of a modern roller straightener used in the finishing process of round bars and tubes;
- installation of modern gas furnaces for bars and tubes annealing and ageing;
- installation of a modern refiner, which enabled control system upgrade at the soft alloys casting line.
Worth mentioning is another large project at the EPS planned to be carried out in the years 2019–2020. The project consists in the extension of the anodising unit and installation of the second line for aluminium profiles refining. The production capacity is going to be twice increased, as results from the current plans for the project. As a result thereof, the biggest unit in Poland specialising in this area will be created.
For several years now the EPS has been consequently building its position of a major supplier in the prestigious sectors of hi-tech products. All the investment and sales activities of the Company focus on products which require speciality equipment, expert know-how, and compliance with restrictive quality procedures. Such assumed direction supports the development of the Company and maintenance of competitive advantage. A key role in the strategy is played by the in-house Research and Development Centre, employing professional staff and furnished with modern controls and instrumentation. The R&D Centre is a place where hundreds of standard tests are carried out every day to release products for delivery, but it also acts as scientific facilities for the innovative projects carried out by the EPS, including creation and implementation of new technologies, as well as application of technical novelties and inventions.
In that regard, the R&D Centre activities in 2018 concentrated on:
- continuous extension the assortment of sections used in automotive industry and intended for crumple zone control and bodywork structures;
- launching of new sections production for automotive industry in relation to equipping the 35 MN press with the latest generation water cooling system at the run-out;
- production processes optimisation, consisting in laboratory testing of new parameters of, for example, thermal treatment, which results in the improvement of production performance and reduces energy consumption by the process.
The works have been carried out in cooperation with established scientific and research institutions, such as: the Light Metals Institute in Skawina or the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków.
With such business approach and performance of many R&D projects, Grupa Kęty may closely cooperate with renowned brands in the automotive industry and the transport sector.
In October 2018 the International Aluminium Trade Fair was held in Düsseldorf, Germany. It is one of the largest such events in the world. Last year, over 1,000 companies from all over the world had their expositions at the Fair visited by about 30,000 people interested in aluminium products. The leitmotif was the automotive industry. No other branch of industry has been developing so fast in the recent years. The automotive industry has been implementing state-of-the-art scientific and engineering achievements, with the growing use of aluminium. The industry is the biggest recipient of extruded products and their derivatives. The Fair was accompanied by many other events, such as conferences, lectures, or scientific and technical shows. Grupa Kęty had its exposition at the Fair. The stand became the place of many meetings and commercial talks, and was mainly visited by the representatives of companies of global operation, focusing on long-term business.
In 2018 the demand for aluminium products was high and the production capacity of the EPS presses in Poland – in Kęty and Tychy – was fully used. The situation affected the activeness and results of the plant in Ukraine, which in 2018 recorded growth of the internal market and extended the processing services for Poland. For two years Alupol LCC has been providing production services to Grupa Kęty based on the so called ‘processing agreement’. Such relationship, particularly in the situation of increased demand, is favourable to both companies. Within the agreement Grupa Kęty transferred to Ukraine some of the orders from the overloaded presses in Kęty. That resulted in practically complete utilisation of the production capacity of Alupol LLC’s press and exceeding the 2018 budget assumptions. Invariably, the major recipient of Alupol LLC aluminium profiles is the construction business, but the number of new customers from the local market has been growing in Borodianka along with the number of dies operated. Such maximum output was possible thanks to the execution of a project consisting in connecting the liquid nitrogen supply system to the press at the Ukrainian plant in 2018.
The Aluminium Kety EMMI company was acquired by the EPS in 2016. Inclusion of a plant providing advanced profiles machining and surface treatment in the organisational structure of the EPS puts the Segment at a completely different position on the market. The business activity of EMMI complies with the EPS strategy of building a strong brand sought for by the manufacturers of speciality aluminium products. On the other hand, two years ago EMMI gained not only a new owner but mainly a partner ensuring the company development by way of financial and subject-matter support. The synergy has been beneficial to both companies. EMMI turnover under the control of Grupa Kęty has been gradually increasing, with 2016 sales amounting to EUR 23 million, EUR 25 million in 2017 and EUR 30 million last year. EMMI customers include mainly white-goods (refrigerators, washing machines and similar products) manufacturers and furniture-making companies. However, last year the company attracted an established automotive recipient and entered with them in a contract for several-year deliveries of exposed car body parts. In 2018 EMMI commenced preparations to the implementation of IATF and AEOC standards planned to be finished in 2019.