Sapa, 49 years of entrepreneurial spirit

  1963   The first production plant was set up in Vetlanda, Sweden.    
  1964   Agents in Norway and Denmark.    
  1965   First anodising plant in Vetlanda.    
  1966   Sales representation in England.    
  1967   First sales of manufactured profiles.    
  1968   A second press and anodising plant outside Vetlanda.    
  1969   Sapa Ltd opens up a sales office outside London.    
  1970   Sapa's first building system: Sapa Spont was introduced.
Sales office in Denmark.
Sapa and OY Nokia sets up Nordalex NV in Hoogezand, Holland (later Scandex NV).
   
  1971   The first extrusion site outside Sweden was opened in Holland
Anodising plant in Vetlanda with a capacity of 12 metres in length.
Remelting plant set up in Vetlanda.
   
  1972   Sapa starts its own die manufacturing.    
  1973   Production plant set-up in Tibshelf, England.
Sales office in Zug, Switzerland.
   
  1974   Sales office in Lilleström, Norway.
Sales office in Esbo, Finland.
Sapa Front building system introduced.
   
  1975   Manufacturing in Torsby, Sweden.    
  1976   Gränges Aluminium buys the total number of shares in Sapa.
The new group is complemented with production plants in Finspång and Skultuna, Sweden.
Sapa sponsors Americas Cup.
   
  1977    Second press set-up at Sapa Ltd in Tibshelf.    
  1978   Sales office in Munich: Sapa Aluminium Profile GmbH.
Remelting plant in Tibshelf
   
  1980   The Swedish Electrolux Group acquires Gränges.
A 4,400 sqm production plant (with anodising facilities) is built in Holmewood outside Tibshelf, England.
   
  1981   Manufacturing in Grenaa, Denmark.
Third press set-up at Sapa Ltd.
   
  1983   Sapa becomes part owner in Aluminiumwerk Offenburg.    
  1984   Aluminiumwerk Offenburg becomes a wholly owned subsidiary and changes name to Sapa Aluminium Profile GmbH.    
  1985   Sapa acquires Scandex Aluminium NV in Hoogezand, Holland.    
  1987   Sapa acquires Sit Down International AB.
Sapa in Norway inaugurates a new sales office in Haugesund.
Sapa Front opens up a sales office in London.
   
  1988   Sapa's 25-years anniversary.    
  1990   Investment in a 3,000 tonnes press in Vetlanda.    
  1992   A new press (with anodising facilities) is built in Trzcianka, Poland.    
  1993   The new press in Vetlanda is inaugurated by the Swedish King.
Sapa acquires a profiles company in Albi, France.
   
  1994   An anodising line is started in Poland and Sapa is the second largest producer in Poland.    
  1995   A 6,500 tonnes press will be set-up in Finspång, Sweden and the second press in Poland is inagurated.
ECT: Environmental Concept Truck - a Volvo truck using space frame technique sets out on a world tour. Sapa is one of five prime suppliers.
Gotthard Group sold.
   
  1996   Sapa introduces Friction Stir Welding, a new revolutionary welding method, in Sweden.
The remelting plant in Sjunnen, Sweden is extended and the new capacity is 30,000 tonnes per year.
Sales office in Tallin, Estonia.
Sapa acquires the Bredon Group, with Indalex and Glostal, in Cheltenhem, UK.
The Nordic metal distribution sold.
   
  1997   Sales office in Lithuania.
Gränges AB is reintroduced on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.
The metal distribution in the UK sold.
   
  1999   Sapa in Norway celebrates 25 years.
Sapa acquires France's largest independent profiles company Intexalu and building systems company Aluvar.
A new lacquering and manufacturing plant is to be set up in Lodz, Poland.
The smelting plant in Sundsvall sold.
   
  2000   Sapa gets its first foot-hold in America by the acquisition of Anodizing and on the Iberian peninsula by the acquisition of Portuguese Anodil.
UK Securistyle divested.
   
  2001   Eurofoil Group and Autoplastics sold.    
  2002   UK Pressweld is acquired. Pressweld specialises in manufacturing of profiles for the high-end automotive market.    
  2003   Remi Claeys Aluminium is acquired.    
  2004   Fabrication plants for aluminium profiles is established in Kaunas, Lithuania and in Shanghai, China.
Sales office established in Riga, Latvia.
   
  2005   Sapa is acquired by Orkla and delisted from the Stockholm Stock Exchange
Slovakian Alufinal is acquired
   
  2006   Alufinal is fully embraced in Sapa. The company changed name to Sapa Profily a.s.
Nils Bouveng, one of Sapa’s two founders, passed away 25 April at the Höglandssjukhuset Hospital in Eksjö, Sweden. Nils was 77 years old.
The new vertical anodising plant in Vetlanda, Sweden, was inaugurated. The investment is the largest one in the history of Sapa so far (200 MSEK).
Sapa in Poland celebrated the opening of the new press, PL3 and the new anodising line, A2.
The fabrication division within Sapa Profiler in Sweden is converted into an independent subsidiary company: Sapa Komponenter AB.
Inauguration of the plant expansion (doubled the capacity to 45,000 tonnes per year) at Sapa Heat Transfer in Shanghai. 
10 years anniversary at Sapa Heat Transfer in Shanghai. 
Opening of the new plant (three times as big as the previous area) for Sapa Profiles in Shanghai.
Orkla and Alcoa signs a letter of intent with the intention of creating a J/V with Sapa's and Alcoa's profiles operations.
Lennart Evrell is appointed President and CEO of Sapa.
   
  2007   Aluminium profiles joint venture between Sapa and Alcoa: the world's largest aluminium profile company is created.
Ole Enger is appointed President and CEO of Sapa.
   
  2008   On 22 December, Orkla and Alcoa concluded an agreement on the exchange of assets in two jointly-owned companies. Orkla is taking over Alcoa's 45.45 % equity interest in Sapa Profiles, making it 100 % owner. At the same time, Alcoa is taking over Orkla's 50 % equity interest in the aluminium smelting company Elkem Aluminium, making it wholly owned by Alcoa.    
  2009   Björn Wiggen is appointed President and CEO of Sapa.
Orkla becomes 100% owner of Sapa.
Acquisition of Indalex (US and Canada) per 31 July 2009.
 

 

  2010   Sapa acquires 65% of the shares of the aluminium extrusion company Vijalco and forms a joint venture with the Vietnamese Ben Thanh Group. The new company will be called Sapa BTG
Sapa signs letter of intent to form a joint venture with Chinas largest aluminium company, Chalco, to serve the rolling stock market in China.
Tim Stubbs is appointed President and CEO of Sapa.
Sapa acquires Thule's integrated roof rail business in the UK and Poland
   
  2011   Sapa Profiles India Pvt Ltd entered into an agreement with Alufit (India) Pvt Ltd, whereby Sapa will buy the assets of Alufit related to its aluminium extrusion business operated out of its plant in Kuppam, close to Bangalore in southern India. 
Svein Tore Holsether is appointed President and CEO of Sapa.
Sapa and Chalco (Aluminium Corporation of China Limited) forms a joint venture to serve the Chinese rolling stock market. Each party will have 50% shareholding in the new J/V.
Sapa aquires one of the larger extrusion plants in the Yangtze River Delta region outside Shanghai, China. The plant named Sapa Profiles (Jiangyin) Co. Ltd has 15 presses and a total production capacity of 60,000 tones.
   
   2012   Grand opening of Sapa Profiles (Jiangyin) Co. Ltd on 15 Feb. The plant is announced to become the production center for Sapa Profiles in the Yangtze Delta.
Sapa Heat Transfer Division inaugurated their tube production facility in Pune, India on 16 April.
   
Updated: 2012-05-17
 
 
 

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