Bridgnorth Aluminium has called for ‘certainty’, help to mitigate rising energy prices, and industrial support ahead of the UK Chancellor’s Budget next week.
Management at the UK’s last remaining producer of flat rolled aluminium coils want aluminium to receive the same political attention as steel due to its recyclability, and importance to sectors such as green energy production and defence products.
Adrian Musgrave, Commercial Director at Bridgnorth, 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 £1m 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.”
Despite the challenges facing the industry, Bridgnorth reported a 9% rise in sales during 2024.
As a result, the company will invest nearly £2m into new filtration technology that will help it supply cleaner, higher-quality aluminium for electric vehicle batteries and packaging.
Musgrave 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.”
