Shape

A magazine from the Sapa Group # 1 2011

New sapa btg to expaNd operatioNs iN asia iNcreasiNg demaNd for big profiles dag holmgreN desigNer aNd alumiNium ambassador high-rise projects select sapa buildiNg systems

beauty
on wheels
100 different sapa components in new aston martin rapide
page

delivering true value

ast year ended on a positive note for sapa and we delivered significant improvement in volumes and profit compared to 2009. the markets are still not yet back to normal levels, especially if we look at North america anda south europe, but we are glad to see that sapa is growing market share. we are expecting this positive market growth to continue in 2011, but still we have a long way to go to reach our targets. ultimately our real challenge is to deliver solutions that add real value to our customers. due to the complexity of todays business environment we cannot expect to deliver a one size fits all approach. we must be responsive and creatively work with our customers to find the right approach that address their needs in todays challenging market. all customers share some common needs (quality, reliability, and responsiveness to mention a few), but both for our customers and ourselves to win, we must be able to go further. customers are demanding solutions, ones that are tailored to meet their unique challenges. this is where sapa can provide real benefits and where we can create real synergies. for example, large customers are increasingly looking for national or global solutions to their needs that allow them to optimize their supply chain. yet, simultaneously, other sectors of the market we serve value a flexible, local, effortless relationship that allows them to focus on the more pressing need of their business. serving these different needs is at the heart of our strategy to be able to bring a full tool-box of potential solutions to our market and our customers not just the capabilities of a given plant. sapa is today uniquely positioned to deliver these solutions whether it may be technical assistance, design, customized components, painting, anodizing, fabrication, large shapes or small shapes, global or local. we feel confident that through a combination of innovation capabilities, customer understanding and cost-effectiveness, we will strengthen our position as the industrys most attractive partner and our ability to deliver true value to our customers.

content

#1 8 13 17 18 20

when solar component supplier conergy needed a partner for a mounting system, they turned to sapa. we wanted a partner who could take the project and run with it, says don massa at conergy.

in november, sapa announced a joint venture with the Ben thanh Group in Vietnam. the new company, sapa BtG, is part of a larger effort to expand sapa profiles operations in asia.

in september 2010, sapa purchased thules entire roof rail business which included two production plants along with sales, design and engineering resources in poland and the UK.

the design process must always start with the user. industrial designer dag holmgrens passion for aluminium and its possibilities has led to a long term cooperation with sapa. the akasya and the Varyap meridian project are two of istanbuls most prestigious new high-rise building projects. sapas sliding systems and curtain wall panel systems grace them both..

Sapa is an international industrial group that develops, manufactures and markets value-added aluminium profiles, profile-based components and systems, and heat exchanger strips in aluminium. Sapa has annual sales of approximately SEK 32,995 billion and around 14,800 employees in companies throughout Europe, and in North America, Central America and China. Shape is the Sapa Groups customer magazine, and is issued twice annually in 15 languages. Shape is also available at www.sapagroup.com

Editor-in-chief: eva ekselius Editor: carl hjelm Graphic design: tor-arne moe Production: otw communication Printing: strokirk-landstrms, lidkping, sweden Changes of address: customers should inform their contact person at sapa, employees their salary department and others the communications departments on +46 (0) 8 459 59 00.

Shaping the future Tim Stubbs, President and CEO Sapa 2 SHAPE # 1 2011

an unforgettable ride
The name is Martin. Aston Martin. in the 1964 movie Goldfinger, James Bond zoomed onto the silver screen in his silver aston martin dB5. it was just the first in a series of classy aston martin cars driven by secret agent 007 in the Bond film series.

cutting edge

# 1 2011 SHAPE 3

cutting edge

he latest car to come from the nearly 100-year old British automobile manufacturer is the Rapide. Designed by an in-house design team led by Marek Reichman, the Rapide was voted Most Beautiful Car 2010 by readers of German car magazine Auto Motor und Sport. It has also received an award from Car Design News for Best Production Car Design. Among the many features of this luxurious four-door sports car are four individual seats, the latest in In-Car Entertainment, a v12 engine and a top speed of 296 km/h. The Rapide also has a bonded aluminium body structure with all the extrusions and extruded aluminium door side impact beams produced by Sapa. In fact, all visible aluminium extruded parts and the extrusions on the body structure on the Rapide were produced by Sapa.

We produced more than 100 different components for the body structure alone, says Sapa uk Automotive Engineering Manager, Barnaby Struthers. All articles are cnc-machined and anodized and several parts are bent, welded and assembled.
Sapa had been working with Aston Martin for more than five years when it was selected for the Rapide project, which began in late 2008 at Sapa in Hungary. A fabrication team consisting of five subgroups

Aston Martin Rapide

Body: four door body style with 4 individual seats. extruded bonded aluminium Vh body structure. aluminium, magnesium alloy and composite body. extruded aluminium door side impact beams. Engine: all alloy quad overhead cam 48 valve 5935cc V12. front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive. fully catalysed stainless steel exhaust system with active bypass valves. compression ratio 10.9:1. max power 350 kw (470 bhp / 477 ps) at 6000 rpm. max torque 600 Nm (443 lb ft) at 5000 rpm. acceleration 060 mph in 5.0 seconds; 062 mph in 5.3 seconds. max speed 188 mph. Dimensions: length 5019 mm (197.6). width (including mirrors) 2140 mm (84.3) height 1360 mm (53.5). fuel capacity 90.5 litres. Kerb weight 1990 kg.

4 SHAPE # 1 2011

worked together on the profiles. A cnc group defined the milling concept, designed fixtures and created cnc (Computer Numerical Controlled) programs with cam software and optimized tooling. A pair of engineers developed the welding and bending capabilities including bending the B-pillars in 3d.
a Quality group

wrote over 300 programs for the 3d measuring machine (cmm) and the mobile measuring arm. In addition to that, they worked closely with Aston Martin on quality requirements

and produced all ppap (Production Part Approval Process) documentation. The Anodizing manager and his team modified the anodizing Iine by building separated baths and unloading stations in a carefully controlled environment. The parts required special anodizing which is a pre-treatment for bonding or gluing that eliminates contamination. Special software was developed to keep track of all process parameters and test results per beam. Of all the challenges, perhaps the biggest one was logistics. This project gave Just In Time new meaning, says Struthers. It was a massive challenge to deliver with the compressed lead times that we had, but the team in Hungary managed to exceed expectations.
TEXT cari simmons

We produced more than 100 different components for the body structure alone.

Aston Martin Rapide was voted Most Beautiful Car 2010 by readers of the car magazine Auto Motor und Sport, and has been awarded Best Production Car Design by Car Design News. All visible aluminium extruded parts and the extrusions on the body structure on the Rapide were produced by Sapa.

# 1 2011 SHAPE 5

in brief

Paving way for the pope

british company liontrackhire has solid experience in temporary roadway and ground access solutions. it has contributed to successful music festivals, demanding off-road transport, remote film settings and large exhibition areas. but in september 2010, its expertise was put to the test: to deploy the track for the popemobile during the hyde park prayer Vigil of pope benedict xVi in london. called the golden circle by the organizers, the temporary roadway formed a ring of 300 aluminium panels sized 3 times 2.5 metres together with steerable sections to assist the curve, all manufactured by sapa. this allowed the pope to access the stage area and onto the golden circle without losing contact with his 80,000 followers on the day. the stage area was previously used for the proms in the park concert, for which a further 700 panels were installed to create access for the stage build. we had very specific security requirements, and not only in hyde park. in cofton park, birmingham, we used our panels to close 100 weakened manhole covers over the sewer system along the popes route, recalls gordon mcKay at lion trackhire. in any case, the task was accomplished to the satisfaction of the illustrious visitors and the pope.

facades for a sustainable future

picture a city where every roof and every facade could turn the green of water-gathering, air-purifying gas, or be transformed into a giant solar energy array. think of what advertisers, artists and landscape architects could do if buildings became enormous displays. dutch company sublean has been doing just this and recently launched its Kameleon concept. future cities will have the ability to change every surface at any time to continuously fit into any of our four sustainable dimensions: supplying, purifying, compensating and communicating, says sublean manager director, peter dommele. the company recently presented the first prototypes of its facades at the clean tech delta at rotterdam and the amsterdam arena. the first full-size working facade could be in place in a few months. we used aluminium for our system
6 SHAPE # 1 2011

because it is almost 100% recyclable, light and strong, appropriate for construction and good looking. and sapa is providing us with all the profiles and the expertise we need from the beginning, says dommele.

Did you know? Pure aluminium is soft enough to carve but mixed with small amounts of other metal to form alloys, it can provide the strength of steel, with only one-third of the weight? Without aluminium there would be no commercial air travel.
guarding the coast with panels of aluminium
when asked about the future of friction stir welded aluminium in the naval industry, Neeme muru says. the future? the future is surely great ... but this technology is already a reality. fsw aluminium panels have already been used in australia, china, sweden among other countries. and we are the pioneers in estonia. Neeme muru is the production manager of baltic workboats, an estonian ship constructor ready to deliver the first of five advanced swedish coast guard boats designed under lloyds register special service craft rules and using fsw aluminium panels manufactured by sapa. the main advantage of friction stir welding is that it causes less material deformation. it allows for better manufacture and saves assembly time. at the end, you can build a boat that is lighter but stronger, he says.

message in a bottle
in march 2010, the innovative one-of-a-kind catamaran, the plastiki, set sail from san francisco. after sailing more than 8,000 nautical miles and spending 128 days crossing the pacific in a boat made of 12,500 plastic pet bottles, the plastiki expedition successfully reached their planned destination of sydney. the aim of the ocean expedition was to alert the world to the effects of single use plastics on the health of our oceans and its inhabitants. according to the british adventurer and expedition leader david de rothschild, this is a complex; challenging and now hugely catastrophic issue that scientists estimate is causing devastation on an unprecedented scale. every year at least one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die when they become entangled or ingest plastic pollution. sapa extrusions in cressona donated the aluminium pipe used for the masts on the boat. time magazine featured the plastiki as one of the best inventions of 2010.

# 1 2011 SHAPE 7

insight: solar energy

a perfect fit
when solar component supplier Conergy pursued business under the ontario feed-in tariff (fit) programme, they partnered with sapa for the best mounting system under the canadian sun.

I
8 SHAPE # 1 2011

n May 2009, the Canadian province of Ontario authorised a feed-in tariff (fit) to subsidise renewable energy development in Ontario. Under the fit programme, which is also an economic development initiative, participants must use local facilities and labour to manufacture and install renewable energy systems. Germany-based Conergy has no production in Ontario so a local partner was needed to manufacture its SunTop and SolarGiant iii photovoltaic (pv) module mounting systems.

Conergy had worked closely with Sapa on solar power projects in Germany so we knew we could draw on that expertise as needed and that Sapa would be a reliable partner, explains Don Massa, Conergy product portfolio manager. Although Conergy North America has two production facilities in the United States, its primary focus has been component distribution, and its production and engineering resources for this project were limited. In a nutshell, we wanted a partner who could take the project and run with it, says Massa.

solargiant is a photovoltaic (pV) module mounting system. with kits, the customer can reduce and control logistics and installation costs. to be able to offer a complete yet fully customised finished product in a box represents real value and huge cost savings, says peter hedman, Natc engineering supervisor, sapa extrusions.

the firSt order

of business was a visit to Sapas Mississauga, Ontario extrusion facility. Conergy officials were impressed: The plant was sufficiently large, the staff was very professional, and facility maintenance and upkeep were impeccable, continues Massa. Conergy has high standards, especially regarding customer service. We wanted full confidence in our partner, and Sapas Mississauga team left no doubt they were capable of doing what we needed. We also needed technical assistance with the extrusion process. Weve had great success with our mounting systems in Europe, but we needed help translating and adapting technological standards to the Canadian market as well as developing production specifications and a manufacturing process for the systems. Sapas North American Technical Center (natc) was extremely helpful with this.

gained a lot of skill and confidence during the project. Probably our biggest accomplishment was developing a process for kitting. Striking a balance between production requirements and customer needs, we began to produce self-contained SolarGiant kits that contain everything the installer needs to assemble a system in the field. Installation is one of the most expensive aspects of a pv power system, says Hedman, because it is labour intensive and the point at which everything comes together. Consequently, if installers have to gather and organise tools and components themselves, this takes time and represents a huge cost, especially if assembly crews stand idle in the event of missing or defective parts and pieces. With kits, says Hedman, the customer can

reduce and control logistics and installation costs. To be able to offer a complete yet fully customised finished product in a box represents real value and huge cost savings. Its an ikea approach to pv system development and a real benefit we now offer other solar customers.
More than once

Massa has recommended Sapa to other manufacturers who need extrusion profiles: What impressed us most about Sapa was their ability to take control and work as a team, and their constant willingness to do whatever was needed to get the job done. Because of Sapa, we were ready to produce SolarGiant iii mounting systems by April 2010. Today, Conergys SunTop and SolarGiant mounting systems account for a major share of the pv market in Canada. We owe much of that to Sapa.

Sapa, in turn,

gained much knowledge and experience during the project, which has served the company well with other customers. Conergy was our first partner under the fit programme, says Peter Hedman, natc engineering supervisor, Sapa Extrusions. Solar mounting systems were a new product for the Mississauga plant, and the Mississauga team

Striking a balance between production requirements and customer needs, we began to produce self-contained SolarGiant kits that contain everything the installer needs.

TEXT michele Jimnez

# 1 2011 SHAPE 9

big size profiles

large profiles
with its big press capacity and expertise, sapa is ready for any challenge, helping customers who are looking for alternative solutions.

for GloBal marKets

he 6,500 tonne press in Lichtervelde, Belgium, is one example of big presses within the Sapa Group. Its 14 and 16 inch (35 and 40 cm) container size immediately puts it into the category of special capability. It is the press in Sapa capable of extruding the largest profiles. There are not many presses in the world of this magnitude, says Bob Lewis, commercial

10 SHAPE # 1 2011

bob lewis, commercial manager for big sized profiles and dirk ghequiere project engineer at sapa.

two of sapas large profiles customers are schwarzmller, the picture above shows the 3-achs-groraum-aluminium-hohlprofilmuldenKippsattelanhnger, and wrtsil, a builder of power solutions for cruise ships.

Everything is possible with the equipment and the knowledge that we have.
manager for big sized profiles. When you add up the ability to make complex shapes up to 65 kg/metre in weight, long lengths up to 26 metres, a whole range of value-added processes, you have a formidable offer to the market. on this press are 620x50 mm, 300x300 mm, and a maximum diameter of 320 mm. These specific large profiles have been produced at Lichtervelde for nearly 20 years, during which time Sapa has built up specialist and engineering skills to offer customers a truly reliable partner with the potential to supply customers around the world. Everything is possible with the equipment and knowledge that we have, from casting our own billet to supplying fabricated or finished parts in kit form, direct to customers production lines, Lewis says. New markets and applications for large profiles
the MaxiMuM profile diMenSionS

are continually developing as customers discover their potential. Big profiles can replace different smaller ones, reducing expensive assemblies, joints and welds. Difficult fabricated parts can be replaced with one simple profile and there is no limitation on length. Heavy machined parts can be re-designed into large profiles reducing costs and increasing functionality, Lewis notes. It is my job to spot new application opportunities, push the boundaries a bit and find the real customer need so we can develop ideas and practical solutions, he says. Project Engineer Dirk Ghequiere combines his technical and practical knowledge with a flair for solving customers design issues. He can take a sketch into a project and finish up with an ingenious working product. Export Sales Manager for Belgium, Kevin Vanhoutte, focuses on new markets and customers further afield. We work closely with all Sapa sales organisations which

are the most important part of our team, providing the local link and understanding of their customers requirements.
large profileS are increasingly in demand in the

transportation sector where there is a need to reduce weight, increase payload and achieve environmental targets, adds Lewis, highlighting Wrtsil and Schwarzmller as examples, amongst others. Another market that is discovering the advantages of big profiles is the green energy sector, namely for wind turbines, where traditional steel products can be replaced with light-weight, maintenance-free profile structures. A customer with the desire to do something different and take a step forward with the right partner can achieve a big commercial advantage and become a market leader, says Lewis. Sapa wants to be that supporting partner.
TEXT cari simmons

# 1 2011 SHAPE 11

in brief

military tents doubled business

we had to talk about quality and certification, about scheduling and production issues. i had to make sure that sapa understood the timeline required for this project. and they were very good at it, says robert stafford, director of creative tent international. this american tent manufacturer, with 50 years of experience in design, manufacturing and service in the fabric structure market, was awarded a large contract for the supply of military tents. we basically doubled our business and we had to outsource part of our production. Now we are producing twice as much as we used to. sapa is extruding 11 differents parts, of which ten have some type of fabrication, such as cutting straight and diagonal, machining, flaring, drilling, routing and deburring. for cti being a company used to producing all parts in-house it was a big step to outsource part of the production and let a lineal extrusion supplier deliver fabricated parts and assembled components. it is an ongoing process but so far i can say i am totally satisfied, says robert stafford.

a fast moving centenarian

wiNi, a german provider of tailor-made solutions for office furnishing, was founded in 1908 by wilhem Niemeyer and is presently run by the third family generation. their products, of their own innovative design, cover all office needs from workplaces and reception areas to conference, office landscaping or storage. wiNi can boast many german giants among its customers, including audi, deutsche bank, linde, frankfurter allgemeine Zeitung, eoN and has furnished the local offices of world companies such as ericsson, british telecom, ford and samsung. design and quality have not been the only factors in wiNis success. a flexible organisation, complete reliability and short delivery times have pushed the company towards the top. we work with very short lead times and it is crucial we get our supplies, sometimes at short notice, says gerald emde, engineering manager at wiNi. we demand of our suppliers not only engineering advice and cost cutting solutions but dependable and timely deliveries. sapa has been wiNis main aluminium profile supplier since 2002 and part of the smooth business processes of this fast moving german centenarian.

Making roads safer and more attractive

moramast ab, part of the Norwegian saferoad group, has been marketing its aluminium lighting poles since 1994. the mora lighting pole is a crash-safe octagonal aluminium pole that crumples to absorb the energy of a collision. the pole is made from extruded aluminium profiles and hot-dip galvanized steel rods of varying lengths to suit the likely speed of collision. the use of surface-treated aluminium ensures that the poles maintain their strength and good looks for many years. aluminium also has lower environmental impact and is easy to recycle. the mora lighting pole, which complies with the relevant european standards for energy-absorbing lighting poles and is ce marked, is already making many roads safer and more welcoming in sweden and in denmark. it is increasingly important to our customers that they can choose attractive lighting. if you install good-looking products along roads and at entrances, it enhances the impression of a town. there is a demand for attractive products, says sture hkerud, ceo of moramast. sapa, which has been supplying aluminium profiles to moramast since 1994, is a reliable supplier who offers consistent delivery times and quality, according to hkerud.

12 SHAPE # 1 2011

insight: sapa btg

carpe dieM in asia

in november 2010, sapa announced a joint venture with the Ben thanh Group in Vietnam. the new company, sapa BtG, is part of a larger effort to expand Sapas profile operations in asia and to capitalise on sapas position as the worlds leading aluminium extrusion company.

sapas growth strategy for asia is built up around two geographic regions: North east asia (china, taiwan, Korea and japan) and south asia (india and south east asia).

# 1 2011 13

insight: sapa btg

sia is the worlds largest and fastestgrowing market for aluminium extrusions: the market is already larger than those of Europe and North America combined. Our customers are there and the markets are there, so its time for us to establish a strong foothold in the region, states Svein Tore Holsether, former business area president for Sapa Asia and the Middle East and newly appointed president of Mergers and Acquisitions at Orkla, Sapas parent company. Our goal is to make Sapa Profiles Asia a third and equally valuable part of Sapa Profiles operations, in addition to those in Europe and North America.
in 1999, Sapa Started

a mature market for profiles, with relatively high barriers to entry. Consequently, Sapa is focusing on niche markets in the region such as automotive components and heat sinks, and highly technical applications such as its joint venture with Chalco, Chinas largest aluminium producer. Sapa and Chalco will begin supplying profiles and friction stir welded panels to train manufacturers in 2011.
South aSia, however, in terms of aluminium profiles, is still relatively undeveloped and represents a market with enormous potential for growth. Sapas goal is to quickly establish operations in the region. The profile market in Vietnam, for example, shows great potential for fast growth. Its the same scenario you see in India and throughout Southeast Asia, explains Holsether. Thats why joint ventures with local companies such as the Ben Thanh Group are important. They understand the local market and business culture and, therefore, are well-positioned to assist us while Sapa can contribute technical expertise and management systems. Partnerships such as these are prime opportunities to enter local markets early and to grow with local partners. Ultimately, we want to become the preferred supplier to local customers in the region. Asia is an exciting place to do business right now. People are ready to make decisions and grow their businesses. Theres much to be learned that, in turn, can be applied to Sapa operations throughout the world.
TEXT michele Jimnez

the profile market in Vietnam shows great potential for fast growth. sapa btg was formed by a joint venture with Vietnamese ben thanh group. the new company is part of a larger effort to expand sapas profile operations in asia.

producing rolled aluminium in Shanghai for brazed aluminium heat exchanger manufacturers. As a global producer with diverse expertise, we could serve the local operations of large international companies in a region that, until then, had consisted only of local and regional suppliers with limited resources, continues Holsether. As economic development in China boomed, Sapa also began to supply China-based businesses. Today, both global and domestic heat exchanger companies comprise Sapa Heat Transfer Shanghais customer base. And business is growing: in 2010, the facility doubled its production capacity. Sapa Heat Transfer Shanghai is a model for how we should run our operations in Asia, says Holsether. Yet, despite its still high growth potential, Northeast Asia which Sapa defines as China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan has already become

Sapa Expansion in Asia

1996: sapa enters joint venture, heat transfer shanghai; rolled aluminium for brazed aluminium heat exchanger producers 2001: full ownership sapa heat transfer shanghai 2003: sapa profiles shanghai; advanced fabrication July 2010: chalco chongqing; letter of intent, joint venture to serve chinese train manufacturers November 2010: sapa btg ho chi minh city; joint venture, building and construction profiles, specialised solutions December 2010: sapa profiles bangalore; advanced fabrication 2011: india; extrusion plant acquired or constructed 2011: china; extrusion plant acquired or constructed

moving forward
on 1 january 2011, Johan Menckel succeeded svein tore holsether as president of sapa business area asia and middle east. as former managing director of sapa heat transfer shanghai with responsibility for sapa heat transfer operations in asia, menckel knows whats needed. svein tore set in motion a number of projects in the region. its my job to make them operational and productive by leveraging sapas global competence and economies of scale for profitable growth, says menckel. but its also important that we remain flexible and not impose a set way of thinking on local partners and customers. thats why we rely on local managers to run sapa businesses while retaining the best aspects of scandinavian management culture. within the company, there is a strong tradition of independent thinking with relatively few guidelines. freedom to act is part of sapas culture of entrepreneurship, something that attracted me to the company when i started six years ago. in a fast-paced business environment such as asia, sapas open and non-hierarchical management style serves the company well. people know they can get things done. maintaining this delicate balance between global know-how and local wisdom will be a main challenge in my new role.

in brief

A green activity hot spot

the iNdigo @ twelve | west building was pictured as an elegant, progressive intersection of activity in a hot spot of portland, oregon, usa. it was thought that the connectivity between people who live, work, shop, and dine in the building would create an exciting urban community. the building features all available green technology, from roof wind turbines and rain water harvesting to grey water recycling, solar panels and a highly customized aluminum railing system from sapas architectural products in portland, oregon. the recyclability of aluminum, project location and the fact that we use 25% recycled aluminum allowed for the railing and the privacy screens to contribute to the environmental profile of the twelve west project, says steven Koch, product development manager at sapa extrusions. this 22-floor building earned a leed platinum certification, the highest standard of this internationally recognized green building certification system.

Cooling improved
the newly opened thermal design center, which focuses on finding cooling solutions, has developed a new cooling solution for ericsson, the global provider of communication systems. with the new design, made out of heat pipes, sapa now offers a new technique to dissipate heat. to achieve a more efficient cooler, which is easier to manufacture and therefore cheaper, sapa went for a new design. with soldered heat pipes the rate of heat transfer from the hot electronic component to the aluminium heat sink was dramatically increased. it is like fitting a turbo on the cooler, explains anders ottosson, at sapa thermal management. heat pipes are sealed pipes containing a small amount of a coolant that circulates and exchanges heat between warm and cold areas at close to the speed of sound. soldering the pipes to the heat sink, a method we used at sapa for the first time, we greatly improve the performance of the cooler, says ottosson. the new technique was developed jointly in sweden and china and the first prototypes are now being tested in real conditions.

Did you know? Once made, aluminium can be recycled again and again, using only a very small fraction of the energy required to make new metal. Recycling saves about 95% of the energy required for primary production.
the dispensers are assembled locally and the electronics are protected inside a hard, corrosion resistant, locked aluminium case. since the neighbours use rationing or prepayment cards read by a transponder there is no slot that can be affected by the weather, tampered with or vandalized. j.g.w Kurvers, managing director of microplan, was very pleased with sapas contribution to the project: their technical support was very useful. we could even improve our original design and offer a better tagmeter to the african countries.

protecting electronics and water supply

issues of transportation, maintenance or handling sometimes render hi-tech equipment useless after a short period of time if deployed in developing countries. but microplan, the dutch company behind the tagmeter metering systems for water, gas and electricity, is well aware of this. for areas in africa, where water is scarce and domiciliary connections not possible, the company has developed public water dispensers featuring a simple and solid construction combined with advanced electronic metering and managing technology.
16 SHAPE # 1 2011

todays technology

The recent acquisition of thules roof rail business strengthens sapas market position and design competence, providing customers with the best possible knowledge, experience and technical competence of the two companies.

pUttinG a shine on rooftops

I
n September 2010, Sapa purchased Thules entire roof rail business which included two production plants along with sales, design and engineering resources in Poland and the uk. A company specializing in high-quality automotive-related products, Thule has a long history of producing roof racks, boxes, rails and other products for vehicles. As its strategic direction shifted more towards branded consumer-related products and retail, Thule decided to divest its roof rail business. Acquiring that part of Thules business made good sense for Sapa. It fits in very well with the rest of Sapas automotive offering, says Frank Krnert, marketing manager at Sapa Automotive. Roof rails are an integral part of a vehicle and this is something we can supply directly to our oem customers. Although Sapa was able to offer customers roof rails in the past, the acquisition enables it to supply more of them, and to a much broader and international group of customers, Krnert adds.

roof railS, which are a very visual part of a vehicle, have also become decorative and thus need to be just as attractive as the rest of a car.

Many automotive manufacturers want highgloss finishes, something which requires a rather complicated process. This is where Sapas long expertise in aluminium products and finishing processes, comes in. Ninety-nine percent of all roof rails are made with aluminium extrusions and as a manufacturer, it is important to have knowledge about the material in order to do advanced specially treated surface processes, says Krnert. Finishing the rails is a challenging process and in addition to having the right aluminium alloys for the purpose, Sapa also has the anodizing, fabrication and polishing processes needed. Combining Sapas alloy and surface treatment competences with Thules product and fabrication knowledge makes sense, says Krnert, adding that customers will get the best of both worlds. We are producing these roof rails at our manufacturing sites in the uk and Poland and now have more control over the whole value chain, offering everything from extrusion of the profile to fabrication and surface treatment.
TEXT cari simmons

# 1 2011 SHAPE 17

profile

Dag Holmgren
Age: 66. Family: wife, two children and two grandchildren. Career: industrial design consultant with a master of industrial design at university college of arts, crafts and designs in stockholm. in 2003 appointed professor of industrial design at school of engineering, jnkping. has been a board member of beda, the bureau of european design associations and the first to run a summer design office in sweden. member of the board of the swedish aluminium association. owner of the consultancy dh industriell design ab in jnkping. Leisure: hunting and golfing. Most relaxed: in the summerhouse on sterlen in the south of sweden. Likes most about aluminium: the possibilities the material offers. Likes least about aluminium: dont know if there is anything bad, if its not suitable i just dont use it. Best design in aluminium: the sting chair designed by stefan borselius and fredrik mattson. Favourite Quotes: you know a design is good when you want to lick it, steven jobs, founder of apple.
18 SHAPE # 1 2011 2 2010

passion for aluminium

the School of engineering

industrial designer Dag Holmgren is passionate about aluminium. his love for the material and its possibilities has led to a long term cooperation with sapa and to many fruitful design solutions involving in particular sapa profiles.
where Dag Holmgren is Professor in Industrial Design is located in Jnkping, an area well known for its industriousness and thriving has been a great ambassador for the material. The largest project so far is a 15-metre wide light sculpture for a shopping centre in Hong Kong made in 1985. Aluminium is a material with many advantages. Once it has been created it can be re-used endless times at five percent of the original production cost and energy use. Its exciting to combine with other materials, like wood and plastic. And it has no limitations. The boundaries sit in the creativity of the designer, he says. That, he points out, doesnt mean that aluminium always is the best choice. Customers would be upset if Sapa made them a profile that would have been better made from concrete. Thats why customers shouldnt ask for a profile. They should ask for a solution, he says.
aS an aluMiniuM profile

enterprise. Its in the Swedish sub-contractor belt, where many actually question the need for design. But even the handle on a screwdriver made by a sub-contractor is visible on the end product, which makes the look, the feel and the finish important, says Dag Holmgren. However, he is not just talking about the surface finish. Design is a process, from idea, to finished product, to recycling. And this process must always start with the user. Who is this to be made for? What does he need and why? Only when you have the answers to these questions you can start with How? he says and sounds like the lecturing professor he has actually been since 2003.

students but is harder get acceptance for among colleagues in the academy.
when aSked to give

the cooperation with Sapa started in 1975. Dag Holmgren worked as an Industrial Design consultant on a light box for the display of photo slides and x-ray plates that provided better work posture than those existing on the market. The solution was a slimmer box, custom made from Sapas aluminium profiles. Since then Dag Holmgren has worked with Sapa in Sweden as a consultant for a large number of companies. Even if he personally never placed a single order which really makes him a poor customer he

almost always is visible it makes it different from many other technologies, Dag Holmgren points out. It will always be judged. Is it good looking, or not, is it communicating its purpose and the company producing it? If the judgment of the beholder is negative the race may already be lost. You look at a shoe or a chair before you try it. If the product doesnt have a surface that interests me its removed from my selection process. Thats why we need engineers to realise the value of good design and why we need designers to better communicate money and profitability, he says. This, he adds, is easily accepted by his

an example of good design he says: The Bahco screwdrivers with handles made for users and the sas coffee pot. At sas the flight attendants struggled with heavy and hot stainless steel pots and a fear to spill coffee on the passengers. The ingenious design is not about shape or colour. Its about solving a work problem. The new pot is light, has a spout that starts at the bottom, making it easy to pour from and a drip edge. A good design starting with the user, he says. Among good designs in aluminium he picks the new Apple computer MacBook Pro, milled from a piece of extruded aluminium and beautiful.
TEXT sUsanna lindGren PHOTO anna hllams

The ingenious design is not about shape or colour. Its about solving a problem.

the sting chair (top), the apple computer macbook pro and the sas coffee pot (right) are three of dag holmgrens design favorites.
# 1 2011 SHAPE 19

insight: turkey

big

BUildinG

in istanBUl

J
20 SHAPE # 1 2011

ust six kilometres from Istanbuls famous Bosphorous Bridge, is the Akasya project covering an area of 182,000 square metres. It comprises 1,580 apartments in 60 and 170-metre high towers, a shopping centre, lake, and even a forest. To the east of Akasya, is yet another new development the award-winning Varyap Meridian real estate project. In addition to office buildings, the environmentally adapted leeds-certified project comprises five residential tower blocks, ranging from 90 to 240 metres in height. The project, located in the Atasehir district, has garnered a number of major awards including the International Property Awards. The two large-scale projects have something in common: Both selected building systems from Sapa.

Following a tender process, Sapa was selected by the Akasya project to deliver its door systems. The Confort 125 and Confort 160 sliding systems were chosen. The thermally broken Confort sliding system for aluminium doors is especially suitable for large glazed surfaces. This project demonstrates that wellengineered sliding systems can be successfully used in high rise towers, says Sapa Project and Marketing Manager, Safak Senturk. The Akasya project selected 1350 Pascal (Pa) water tightness performance, particularly critical for the tower buildings, he adds.
the akaSya project

also chose Sapas Avantis 55 window system and the Elegance 52 aluminium curtain wall system, matching further requirements for high performance.

sapas sliding systems and curtain wall panel systems grace two of istanbul, turkeys most prestigious new high-rise building projects.

The Varyap Meridian project also opted for elegance, choosing Sapas Elegance 72, a unitised curtain wall system. This unitised system is designed to meet a variety of requirements and can be adapted to customer wishes when it comes to drainage, thermal insulation, acoustics, solar control, aesthetic design and more. For this particular project, the curtain wall had to match requirements for weather and other elements challenging Istanbul. The customer required a panel system for their buildings which would be durable in earthquakes, Senturk says. If you use a system on high-rise buildings, it must have very specific features. Everything is different at 150 metres. There are very high winds, and water tightness, air pressure values, system opening and security all need to be adapted for such heights, he adds.

conStructing earthQuake-reSiStant

buildings is critical in Istanbul. Turkeys largest city, with a population of about 13 million, lies on the North Anatolian Fault zone. In 1999, the city of Izmit, which straddles the same fault, was hit by a devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake. Sapa designs its systems to meet tough building codes and requirements worldwide. Sapa Building System in Turkey worked closely with customers Varyap Meridian and Akasya for at least six months each, working out the custom design system solutions and details. Both projects were completed this year (2011).
TEXT cari simmons

This project demonstrates that well-engineered sliding systems can be successfully used in high rise towers.
# 1 2011 SHAPE 21

in brief

challenge turned into success

magna, the worldwide leading engineering and manufacturing partner for the automotive market, was facing a challenge. amid the global crisis that hit severely the european car industry 2009, magna steyr fahrzeugtechnik (magNa) at graz/austria had got a bright new contract from peugeot to build the new and exclusive sports coup peugeot rcZ but the appointed supplier of a key component came into financial difficulties. magna and sapas automotive segment entered a process that could be described as negotiation, acquisition and cooperation at the very same time. the rcZ was set to enter production and in a few weeks, sapa could produce a batch of samples of the highly distinctive aluminium pillars of the new vehicle and magna could give the aluminium pillars of the peugeot rcZ the go ahead. for sapa it meant is the most visable trim part in the autonot only a six-year contract but motive market ever. also a benchmark product, its most visible trim part in the automotive market ever. what followed was a case of sapas last june, an ultramodern 31.5 meters solar spirit and the help chain, recalls dirk powered vessel the suntech-guosheng was schneider, senior business manager at launched on the waters of the huangpu river in sapa automotive. tooling was provided front of the world expo at shanghai. the solar panel by magna and first located in china, italy technology and the slim design of the boat were and different tooling suppliers in germany. eye-catching but what was hidden under the paint we couldnt hire skilled workers fast was not less innovative. enough so our plant at gloucester, uK, the decks and bulkheads of the suntechgot support from sapa plants in denmark, guosheng were built using extruded aluminium slovakia, poland, france, germany and profiles joined together into panels at the worlds sweden which send selected resources. largest friction stir welding (fsw) machine at sapa before the robots were in place we had mass transportations plant in shanghai. this techto work manually, ship parts and tooling nology allowed the chinese shipyard to do without all over europe but our first supply started almost over night. Now, production is established and running on high volume, and the success of the peugeot rcZ has demanded increased deliveries. but when the first bi-weekly shipment left the uK for magna steyr fahrzeugtechnik (magNa) in austria, sapa in close cooperation with magna had done in six months, what usually takes two years. we thank all involved and especially magNa for this mutual effort.
22 SHAPE # 1 2011

Breakthrough with solar powered vessel

kilometers of on-site mig welding by using large custom-made plates of up to 3,3 meter width. with our panels the shipyard just had a minimum of mig welding reducing manhours and project time with an increased design flexibility as a bonus. and since fsw generates less heat, there is much less deformation and the components turn perfectly flat, increasing the quality of the superstructure says shaohua Zhou, Key account manager at sapa mass transportation shanghai. sapa s fsw machine at the shanghai plant can weld components up to 26 meter long and 3,5 meter wide.

poles with added value

Keeping Noord-brabant in the Netherlands accessible is a considerable challenge with the ever-growing flow of traffic. the project ei van ommel meant that a big roundabout, situated in a rural area, had to be reconfigured as a number of junctions with traffic regulation installations. these had to be connected to the slip roads of highway a67(e3) and a set of four very busy provincial main roads. the province of Noord-brabant had always been into steel. sapa pole products managed to convince them of the possibilities of aluminium as a material. this first pilot order in the form of the oudgastel project, contained overhead sign structures, cantilevers, aNwb road sign columns and small traffic sign poles. almost all heavy structures with a lot of technical challenges and added value. the aNwb road sign columns had never been executed in anything else than steel in the Netherlands. the aNwb is the major distributor of road signs to the dutch government. through the province of Noord-brabant, sapa pole products finally got the chance to introduce themselves as a result of this association. in 2009 sapa pole products received from the province of Noord-brabant another project called ei van ommel. this project was for even larger quantities than oud gastel and sapa pole products were able to convince them of the added value of buying poles that were carbon

neutral and featured passive safety. it resulted in a successful and appreciated project. in accordance with the experience of other dutch road authorities and our own pilot test, now we prefer aluminium lighting poles. they reduce our maintenance costs, are crash-friendly and recyclable, and they look aesthetically good, says bart couve, project manager for the province of Noord-brabant. by working closely together with the client, following the strategy towards solutions, sapa pole products managed to achieve an even more prominent place in the public lighting sector in the Netherlands.

Did you know? Its combination of properties ensure aluminium and its alloys can be easily shaped by any of the main industrial metalworking processes rolling, extrusion, forging and casting.
Good for the environment and taxpayers
aluminum bridge decks that can be mounted on the existing substructure are an alternative to demolishing and building a whole new bridge to support a concrete deck. Now, friction stir welding has made aluminum decks easier to manufacture and less expensive, with pre-assembled and deployment-ready components. aluminum bridge decks comply with standard requirements for strength and structural loads, but weigh only a third of a conventional deck, says greg osberg, director of business development for sapa extrusions. the resulting bridge can be made wider or posted for heavier traffic than the original structure. the average age of american bridges is about 43 years. instead of building new ones, thousands of bridges can now be refurbished at a lower cost and in a fraction of the time with aluminum decks. both environment and taxpayers in the united states will like it.

# 1 2011 SHAPE 23

a real motorhome
it is a versatile motorhome that has space for everything, including the horses. solifer polar, a motorhome builder, and Umeslp, who are experts in transporting horses, have pooled their expertise and come up with the new polar multi 800 motorhome and horse transporter.

s yet, the motorhome is the only one of its kind, and was exhibited for the first time in September 2010, but there has been enormous interest from equestrians. The motorhome is unique in its class, and according to the manufacturers is the only combined motorhome and horse transporter designed to cope with cold Scandinavian winters. Well-insulated walls and underfloor heating guarantee a steady temperature even when the temperature outside drops below zero. In the front section of the eight-metre long vehicle is a living area with kitchen, toilet and sleeping space for four. In the rear there are stowage space for saddles and fodder, and a box that can easily be adapted for one or two horses. Umeslp and Solifer Polar are based in northern Sweden and are both long-standing customers of Sapa.

Because the horse box is largely built from aluminium profiles, we were closely involved with it, says Lars-Erik Lindstrm, a salesman with Sapa Profiler ab in Ume. Sapa, according to Ulf Wiklund from Umeslp, which has been using aluminium profiles to build horse transporters since 1996. If Sapa hadnt provided such a good service, the end result would not have been so good. The profiles are bonded and joined to create a rigid, attractive finish, says Wiklund. The task of combining a motorhome and horse box to create an integrated concept was entrusted to S-karosser, a subsidiary of Solifer Polar. Were good at creating individual solutions, but Polar Multi 800 is definitely not a one-man prodthe Quality of the end product is thanks in part to

the polar multi 800 sleeps four people and has a kitchen, seating area and toilet. at the rear there is space for two horses, or a kart or motorcycle, for example.

uct. It is the result of cross-collaboration between experienced teams, and Sapa has been involved all the way as a result of its long-standing relationships with everyone concerned, commented Ulf Sellgren, from S-karosser. Polar Multi 800 is currently being marketed as a motorhome and horse transporter, but there has already been interest from sporting circles that rely on a different form of horsepower. In response, there are now designs on the drawing board that show how the cargo space can be adapted for karts, motocross bikes and even snowmobiles.
TEXT sUsanna lindGren

24 SHAPE # 1 2011