Aluminium specialist marks anniversary

The UK’s only remaining manufacturer of rolled aluminium coils is celebrating a prestigious milestone this month, with its Litho Centre marking 25 years in business.
 
Bridgnorth Aluminium is celebrating a quarter of a century since the launch of its offset lithographic aluminium strip manufacturing centre – the only place in the UK where aluminium printing plate material is made.
 
“We’re thrilled to be celebrating this fantastic milestone,” explained Simon MacVicker, Managing Director of Bridgnorth Aluminium. “Over the past 25 years, our business truly has gone from strength-to-strength, and our demand for lithographic printing material is continuing to grow.”
 
Used by many national and international printing plate manufacturers, the firm has developed its reputation as one of the leading manufacturers of the product in the world.
 
“Lithographic aluminium strip play an integral role in the creation of many printed items that people see and use each day. The rolled aluminium is essentially the surface that the image is written on and then transferred from onto paper or other media, during the printing process.
 
"The aluminium is coated and cut into sheets by Bridgnorth Aluminium’s customers, before being imaged and loaded onto a printing press, where the aluminium plate carries the separated water and ink – the fundamental principle of offset printing. The printed media can be anything from high quality photos, through to magazines, newspapers and packaging.”  
 
The raw material’s surface – from the moment it enters the production line – is protected through each operational step to ensure a high-quality, blemish free finish, before being packaged and delivered to customers worldwide.
 
“We manufacture high quality lithographic materials in bulk for a range of clients across the world, which they then sell to printers, large and small. To cater for the growth we’ve experienced over the past 25 years, we’ve invested heavily in the very latest technologies, equipment and processes, and have collaborated with our R&D networks, both here in our new R&D Centre in Bridgnorth and at our Group laboratories in Athens, as well as with external parties.”
 
Bridgnorth Aluminium’s Litho Centre uses rolling slab as a raw material for its lithographic material production, which is sourced from its very own cast house on site – which was recently expanded – or from stringently-approved cast houses, which share all aspects of the company’s quality and logistics requirements.
 
“With the exciting investments we’re continuing to make at Bridgnorth Aluminium we’re placing ourselves in better stead for future development and growth, and we very much look forward to another 25 years!” Simon concluded.