40 years of entrepreneurial spirit

Today, Sapa is the world’s largest manufacturer of aluminium profiles, with special focus on the development of creative aluminium solutions that offer customers an added value. How has Sapa advanced from nothing to its present position of global leadership in 40 years?

Vetlanda 1963

The Sapa spirit

It started in Vetlanda, Sweden in 1963. A few years earlier in the US, Sapa’s two founders had recognised the business potential of aluminium profiles and conducted on-site studies of cost-effective and competitive production methods. They brought their insights home to Sweden, where they knew that customers had started placing entirely new demands on their suppliers of aluminium profiles. Speed and flexibility were the catchwords.

The largest competitor at that time was Gränges. The Sapa spirit was instilled in the company from the start. The employees were involved to an extent that was unique in those days and, right from the start, Sapa worked in close co-operation with its customers. The company kept its promises, with profitability as its guiding light.

The courage of the two entrepreneurs, their feeling for the market and sales and, in particular, their total confidence in the individual have been important factors in the company’s success.

Some milestones

After a long period of steady organic growth, a large step forward was taken in 1976, when Sapa was sold to Gränges and the profiles operations of both companies were merged.

Sales and labour force both doubled. Gränges, in turn, was acquired by Electrolux in 1980, which triggered the start of rapid international expansion of the profile operations.

In 1997, Electrolux made a decision to spin off Gränges to its shareholders, and Gränges became an independent public company. During the next few years, Gränges streamlined its operations.

The aluminium profile operations became the backbone of the organisation and, as a result, the name of the Group was changed to Sapa in 2000.

On 8 June 2007 the merger between Sapa and Alcoa Soft Alloy Extrusions became fact. A global market leader in aluminium profiles that has potential for further growth was created. Sapa Profiles today has 111 presses (1,040 to 7,300 tonnes) in 15 countries and more than 12,000 employees.