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The foundation for today’s Gränges was laid in 1896 in Grängesberg. Thereafter, several industrial enterprises became part of the Group. In 1969, the Group acquired Svenska Metallverken, which included an aluminium products business, an operation that would later evolve into Gränges.

Gränges has about 2,700 employees and net sales of SEK 22.5 billion.

Gränges is a leading global supplier of rolled aluminium products for thermal management systems, speciality packaging and selected niche applications. 

Gränges’ end-customers are found in the automotive, HVAC, and speciality packaging industries as well as in other niche markets such as transformers and wind turbines. In materials for brazed heat exchangers Gränges is the global leader with a market share of approximately 25 per cent.

Gränges has a total production capacity for rolled aluminium products of about 610 ktonnes, split across six production sites on three continents.

In Europe, Gränges has two production sites, one in Finspång in Sweden with a production capacity of 120 ktonnes and one in Konin in Poland which also has a production capacity of 140 ktonnes.

In Asia Gränges has a production site in Shanghai in China with a production capacity of 140 ktonnes.

In Americas Gränges has three production sites in the US, in Huntingdon (Tennessee), Salisbury (North Carolina) and Newport (Arkansas). They have a combined capacity of 240 ktonnes.

Gränges also has a wholly owned subsidiary, Gränges Powder Metallurgy GmbH, producing aluminium billets using advanced spray-forming technology. The company has two production facilities, one in St Avold in France and one in Velbert in Germany, with an annual production capacity of about 2,500 tonnes.

Gränges sells rolled aluminium. The products are priced in tonnes.

Gränges' revenue model means that the cost of the raw material (aluminium) is passed on to the customers. Gränges therefore does not make money on the metal itself.

Gränges generates its revenue by selling advanced materials manufactured for specific customers and applications in long-term contracts. Pricing is based on the added value that Gränges provides in terms of material properties and product complexity.

Gränges’ end-customers are found in the automotive, HVAC, and speciality packaging industries as well as in other niche markets such as transformers and wind turbines. The automotive industry accounts for about 42 per cent of Gränges’ sales, the HVAC industry for around 24 per cent, speciality packaging for about 18 per cent and other end-customer markets for the remaining 16 per cent. Gränges’ position is strong in all the regions in which it operates.

In 2020, Asia accounted for 20 per cent of group sales in terms of volume. China is the main market and other key markets include India, Thailand and South Korea. The automotive industry accounted for 87 per cent of Gränges’ sales in Asia in 2020, where global customers accounted for 45 per cent of the sales volume. 

The European market represented around 17 per cent of group sales volume in 2019, with the Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany and Poland as the largest markets. The automotive industry accounted for 73 per cent of Gränges’ sales in Europe in 20209. Europe is a consolidated market with global customers accounting for 64 per cent of the sales volume.

Americas accounted for around 64 per cent of the group sales volume in 2020, of which 20 per cent were sales to the automotive business and 80 per cent were sales to the HVAC & Other business. Gränges’ main markets in the Americas are the US and Mexico and global customers accounted for around 12 per cent of total sales volume in the Americas in 2020.

There is a constant need to reduce energy consumption and costs, and improve reliability for manufacturers and users of, for example, vehicles, air conditioning and heating systems. Demand is growing for more energy efficient engines and heat exchangers.

The driving force to reduce environmental impact and emissions of damaging greenhouse gases affects the automotive and HVAC industries through demand for lighter weight products and increased efficiency, among other things.

The automotive industry

Demand for heat exchanger material is strongly linked to global vehicle production and the number of heat exchangers per vehicle, which tends to increase in line with requirements for improved performance and enhanced functionality. A higher share of hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and vehicles with different types of advanced features, is also positive for the demand of heat exchanger materials. 

Brazed aluminium heat exchangers represent nearly 100 per cent of the market today.

The HVAC industry

HVAC includes systems for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, for instance in private homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Underlying market drivers for heat exchangers in HVAC, regardless of type, are housing starts, consumer confidence, and environmental legislation. Brazed aluminium heat exchangers account for only a small share of the total market. Gränges is a supplier of material to both brazed and mechanically-assembled aluminium heat exchangers, with the strongest position in the Americas.

Speciality packaging

Aluminium foil provides a complete barrier to light, oxygen, moisture, and bacteria. These properties make it ideal for food cartons and pouches. Container foil is divided into three major categories: household/institutional foil, semi-rigid containers and flexible packaging. For decades, the use of foil has grown steadily in each of these categories. Semi-rigid containers are among the most versatile of all types of packaging and are widely used for pre-packaged foods, easily withstanding great differences in temperature from freezing to heating.

Other markets

Examples of other areas that we are serving are the development of heat exchanger materials and solutions for industrial applications, agricultural machinery, and wind power turbines.

Another end-market in North America is materials for transformers. A transformer is an electrical device used to increase or decrease the alternating voltages in electric power applications. It consists of two or more coils called windings, which are wrapped around a core. In North America, aluminium plays an important role in the design of electrical distribution and large power transformers thanks to its significant cost and weight advantages versus copper. The markets for semi-rigid containers and transformer windings made in aluminium are expected to show stable annual growth.

Gränges’ sustainability efforts are led by Group Management and the SVP Sustainability, who coordinates, facilitates and drives the global sustainability strategy, long-term targets and sustainability related policies. The Board of Directors reviews and approves the company’s global sustainability strategy, long-term targets and policies, and adopts the annual sustainability report. Group Management ensures that Gränges’ global sustainability strategy and long-term targets are aligned with the company’s vision and strategy. The team also reviews and monitors sustainability performance against sustainability targets, as well as makes decisions related to global sustainability priorities. The five sustainability pillars are each governed by a representative from Group Management, who proposes global sustainability priorities and coordinates with Gränges’ regional teams to implement local sustainability activities within a specific sustainability pillar. The regions in turn ensure that local sustainability strategies and targets are in place.

Sustainability is a natural part of Gränges’ core business and strategy. It helps to increase the company’s long-term competitiveness and aims to create lasting value for Gränges as well as for its customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. By managing its business in a sustainable and responsible way, Gränges will enhance its possibilities to deliver strong financial and operational results. Gränges is committed to improving conditions and the overall footprint of the aluminium value chain. To ensure that aluminium is mined, produced and used sustainably, Gränges participates in various industry initiatives.

Sustainability is an integrated part of Gränges’ business strategy and is included as one of four business drivers in the company’s strategy. Gränges has a group-wide sustainability framework with 13 material topics grouped into five sustainability pillars. For each pillar, Gränges articulated a clear long-term commitment and accompanying targets for 2025. Each sustainability pillar is governed by one member of Group Management. This individual proposes global sustainability priorities and coordinates with Gränges’ regional teams to implement local sustainability activities within a specific sustainability pillar.