The UK’s last remaining producer of flat-rolled aluminium coils is calling for ‘certainty’, urgent help to mitigate rising energy prices and immediate industrial support ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget next week.
Bridgnorth Aluminium, which employs over 300 people at its extensive production facility in Shropshire, believes the metals and manufacturing sectors also need to avoid a repeat of the tax rises seen in last year’s Autumn Statement.
Management at the company wants aluminium to receive the same exposure and political attention as steel, especially considering that it is an infinitely recyclable metal and one that is crucial to driving advanced engineering, defence products and carbon reduction through light-weighting and ‘green energy’ production.
Adrian Musgrave, commercial director at Bridgnorth Aluminium (pictured below), said: “Manufacturers don’t want hand-outs, we just want a level playing field to compete with our international rivals and that means the Government resisting the urge to increase the already difficult tax burdens we face. The UK has the highest energy bills in the G7 and, to put this into perspective, each month we pay over £1 million for our electricity and gas.
“There is help available through the Energy Intensive Industries scheme and we take advantage of that, but we need the promised additional support of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme to come faster. Aluminium must be recognised as a key foundation material for advanced manufacturing, including applications such as AI data centres and green power generation.”
Greater technical skillsHe continued: “Skills is another major issue for our sector, and we would welcome any changes to courses that accelerate the ability for young people to learn greater technical skills – making them work ready in the process.”
Bridgnorth Aluminium bucked challenging trading conditions to post an impressive 9% rise in sales during 2024. The company is capitalising on this by investing nearly £2 million into new filtration technology that will help it supply cleaner, higher-quality aluminium for electric vehicle (EV) batteries and packaging — two markets that offer significant growth potential.
Mr Musgrove added: “We are passionate about UK manufacturing and are deeply committed to the evolution of our Bridgnorth facility into a sustainable producer of aluminium for customers in more than 20 countries across the world. There are investment plans in place, but to press the button on these we need the right economic conditions. It will be interesting to hear more about the development of the Industrial Strategy in the budget and if there is immediate support for automation, digital manufacturing and new technology integration.
“Manufacturers don’t want to hear about exciting plans that will come into fruition in 2030. We actually want the support to be delivered now, so it gives us the opportunity to become more efficient, more productive and more competitive in a global marketplace.”
He concluded: “Bridgnorth Aluminium could genuinely serve as the model enterprise the UK government wants to promote. A major employer, significant exporter, investing heavily in supplying ‘green’ aluminium to some of the country’s fastest growing markets, not to mention being an important cog in the much-vaunted circular economy.”